


Hate It When You See Me Cry

by NemesisGray



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2020-10-04 14:34:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 49
Words: 43,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20472626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NemesisGray/pseuds/NemesisGray
Summary: my Cathar female Jedi Knight and our favorite Mando, Torian.title is the song "Hate It When You See Me Cry" by Halestorm. Despite some of the chorus lyrics, it basically fits them in my head.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Adrestia - A-dress-tay-uh

Taris was gross. Seriously, it stank. Adrestia wondered how her fellow Cathar could settle here.

“Teeseven,” she looked at her droid, “be glad you don’t have my sense of smell.”

**:T7+droid = no sense of smell.:**

“That’s true.” Adrestia cracked a smile. “I’m jealous of you, little buddy.”

Teeseven beeped in a way that Adrestia thought was the droid’s way of laughing.

“Let’s keep going.” Adrestia started walking again, the little droid keeping up.

#

Torian knew his father was on this planet. All Torian had to do was locate his father’s hide outs.

From what Torian knew of his father, his father would pick some place easily defensible with likely traps and close to both the Republic and Imperial camps for supplies.

So, by that logic, Jincoln Cadera should have a hideout, somewhere in this area. All Torian had to do was hide and wait.

#

Taris’ topography was misleading. One minute you’d think you’d be on a flat plain, perfect for walking then find out that it drops into a small ravine, or toxic lake, or down into a hive of Rakghouls.

Taris stank and it was a liar. Adrestia hated it.

“Teeseven, are you sure this is the correct way to go?” Adrestia was looking at her nav-cuff. “Maybe I’m getting interference from somewhere?”

**:Jedi+Taris= watch out for the drop off!:**

“What?” She asked, turning to look at the droid when she walked right off the edge.

Adrestia didn’t get much chance to panic or scream as the drop was only ten feet. But, she did land on something decidedly not the ground.

“What the hell!” the thing that broke her fall yelled.

“Sorry!” Adrestia had fallen on a person, a literal person. “Sorry! I fell.” She tried scrambling off them, only to realise that the person she fell on was trying to push her off, they only wound up tangling themselves more into each other. “Stop!” She cried, blowing her grey mane out of her face. “Stop! We must figure this out logically. We’re just making it worse.”

The other person stopped trying to break free.

“Ok,” she started, “my cape is caught in your armor. We should work on that first.” It would help, she thought, if she wasn’t lying in a way that didn’t allow her to see the person’s face.

“Alright.” The person was male, young, based on his voice. Adrestia really wished she could see his face. “How about this.” He said before she heard the sound of a vibroknife.

“Wha-?” She didn’t get to finish her question by the time she heard a snick of fabric being cut in half. “You cut off my cape.” But they were no longer stuck together.

Frowning, she finally crawled off the person to sit beside them on the ground.

“Sorry,” he said. “It was easier than trying to untangle it.”

Shaking her head, she smiled ruefully. “It’s fine. No capes should be a rule really.” Studying the remains of her severed cape, she just had this outfit made too, dyed grey and pink, she called up to Teeseven. “Teeseven, get down here, please!”

Teeseven beeped in worried affirmation.

Looking up, Adrestia’s gaze hit the green -gorgeous- eyes of the person she fell on. She studied him. He had to be around eighteen years old, two years older than her; he sported an auburn mohawk and had a facial tattoo which seemed to outline the shape of his skull. It was a strange tattoo for someone to have.

“Why were you hiding under a ledge?” She hadn’t meant to ask the question out loud. And realised it was the wrong thing to ask when his eyes narrowed.

“Why did you fall off a ledge?” Torian glared at the person that fell on him. It didn’t matter that she was gorgeous with her grey fur, grey mane, stripes that mimicked freckles, and grey eyes. Nor that she appeared to be two years younger than him.

Adrestia frowned at him. “I fell on accident! It’s not like I fell on you on purpose!” Standing, she began dusting herself off.

“You should really look where you’re walking then!” Torian stood as well. He towered over her, but instead of fear in her eyes, all he saw was defiance.

“This planet is a death trap! Even if I had been watching where I was walking, I still would’ve fallen!”

“So, you admit you weren’t watching where you were going?” He felt minor vindication.

Adrestia’s jaw dropped in indignation. “Oh!” Stomping her foot, she stormed off, running into Teeseven along the way.

“Ugh!” She cried, walking past Teeseven, the droid trailing after her. Sighing, she sat down on the first boulder that wasn’t covered in Taris muck.

Teesven beeped in question.

“I feel on somebody on accident.” Adrestia hissed. “He cut my cape and I, somehow, insulted him.”

Teeseven’s lights blinked a little bit before it beeped in consolation.

“No, I should’ve been watching where I was going.” Adrestia should’ve apologized, but she didn’t. “I should’ve apologized. But,” she waved her hand airily, “I’m so bad at meeting new people.” She groaned in embarrassment before burying her face in her hands.

“Apology accepted.” A voice said behind her.

“Gah!” She yelped, falling off the rock. How had she not sensed he was nearby?

“Sorry.” He said, materializing out of the Taris background.

“Don’t sneak up on people.” Adrestia shook herself. Just what she needed; being completely wrapped up that she forgot her surroundings. What would Master Alastaire say? With her Constant Vigilance mantra? What would Master Orgus say?

He was staring at her. He wasn’t blinking, his head tilted to the side. It was oddly adorable. Adrestia mentally shook her head. No, bad Addy.

“I didn’t sneak up on you.” He said, glaring again. “I was purposely making noise. It’s not my fault you’re practically deaf.”

“I am not practically deaf! And you were sneaking or else I would’ve heard you.” Adrestia glared back at him.

The two of them glared at each other. Him from his standing position and her from her place on the ground. Speaking of being on the ground.

Adrestia got to her feet, dusting herself off -again. “Why did you follow me?”

“I wasn’t following you.” He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. “I was coming to find a new hiding spot since you ruined my last one.”

“You shouldn’t have been hiding anyway!” She could cross her arms too. “Only people with ill-intent hide.”

“And only clumsy oafs don't see a ledge and fall on people.” hHis glare intensified.

“I’m not clumsy!”

“I don’t have ill intent!” Ok, maybe he did, but she didn’t need to know that.

They stood there glaring at each other some more.

Teeseven beeped again, urgently. Adrestia was wasting time glaring at the stranger.

Sighing, she turned to the droid. “You’re right, Teeseven, can’t stand around and glare at sneaky people all day. I have a job to do.”

“I have a job, too.” He responded.

“I’m sure you do.” She sniffed, disbelief in every line of her body. “Now, if you will excuse us, we’re busy. Don’t follow me.” Sniffing in disdain, she turned and started walking only to realize he was still trailing her. “I said not to follow me.”

“I’m not following you. We’re going in the same direction.” He replied, his voice holding some amusement.

Adrestia narrowed her eyes and decided to walk faster. Soon, she was so far ahead of him that it didn’t matter that they were headed in the same direction, which she didn’t believe.

It was out of character for her, it really was, but she was so annoyed by whoever that man was. Normally she was so calm and nice. But something about him just made her fur stand on end.

“Ugh!” She stomped her foot on the ground again, causing Teeseven to beep at her in question. “I’m fine, just need a moment to compose myself.”

#

Torian should not be amused but he was. The woman that fell on him was unintentionally hilarious with her gasps and indignation. He would admit that he was being purposely obtuse just to get a rise out of her. But she never properly apologized for falling on him.

Plus, her ass looked great from his point of view, especially since she was speed-walking away from him.

Yep, Torian was just going to follow her for a little while longer. Maybe, if he was lucky, he’d get to hear her name.

#

Adrestia was lost.

“Teeseven, I think we’re lost.”

Teeseven beeped in agreement.

“Sorry.” It was all her fault; she was too busy trying to put as much distance between herself and that man that she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going.

Teeseven beeped in admonishment.

“I know.” Adrestia kicked a rock. “I was distracted and I-” she stopped as she was surrounded by fifteen pirates, “lead us directly into a trap.” She finished lamely. “Shit.”

Teeseven whirred in agreement seconds before an electronet came out of nowhere to wrap around him.

Adrestia’s hand hovered over her lightsaber when a cry of “Oya!” sounded out before she spied the man she fell on one again materializing to attack some pirates. That decided her.

Her lightsaber in hand, igniting it, the pink crystal a contrast to the Tarisian background, she started fighting as well.

#

Torian didn’t know why he jumped in to rescue the woman that fell on him. Maybe it was because her droid was rendered useless by the net? Maybe it was because he wanted to help her after his needless needling? Maybe he only wanted to impress her by saving her?

The last option went out of his head as he spied a lightsaber tearing through the pirates. Working in tandem, Torian and the woman worked their way to each other, fighting back to back after a while, both melee fighters.

Finally, all the pirates dead or dying at their feet she rushed to the droid.

“Teeseven!” She used the Force to rip the electronet off it. “Are you alright?”

Teeseven shook itself before chiming an affirmative.

Relief passed over her face as she hugged the droid. “Oh, thank goodness.”

Torian watched in mounting amusement as she tried to coddle the droid while the droid appeared to be having none of it. A laugh did leak out when she and droid started having a whispered conversation with the droid using its taser to point at him.

“Fine!” She hissed before standing and swiping her mane away from her face. “Thank you for helping me save Teeseven.” Teeseven shocked her. “Ow!” She glared at the droid before turning once more to Torian. “And for helping me fight off those pirates.” She glared down at the droid again.

Teeseven, finally satisfied, put its taser back up.

Torian chuckled. “I’ve never seen an astromech be a baby-sitter.” His eyes widened when he spoke that thought out loud.

“Teeseven isn’t my baby-sitter!” She squeaked, afraid of drawing more unwanted attention.

“Then why does it act like it?” Torian asked.

She took a menacing step forward, her fists balling when the droid beeped at her again. As if coming to her senses, she took a step back, taking a deep breath. “Teeseven is my friend. It was commenting on how rude I was being.”

Torian looked at the droid. “Thank you, Teeseven.”

Teeseven bowed before bumping her leg.

“My name is Adrestia.” She said through gritted teeth.

“Torian.” Torian was not going to laugh.

She shot him a look that he translated to mean she knew he was trying not to laugh at her.

“Torian,” she sighed, looking at the sky, “I’m sorry I fell on you. And I’m sorry I got upset at you cutting my cape.”

“It’s fine. I’m sorry for needling you into a fight.” He bowed his head.

“I knew it!” She cried. “I mean,” she took another breath, “apology accepted.”

Torian’s laugh died in his throat when he noticed the lightsaber hooked to her belt. That’s wasn’t like any Sith lightsaber he’d ever seen, it was too elegant, too beautiful to belong to a Sith.

“You’re a Jedi aren’t you?” He felt a sinking feeling in his chest. She was Cathar and a Jedi. He was Mando’ade. He didn’t want to fight her.

Adrestia frowned. Why was Torian suddenly looking forlorn? Her eyes roamed over his face down to his armor where parts of her cape were still stuck. “Oh. You’re Mandalorian.”

They stared at each other, weariness in their gazes.

“Umm,” Adrestia started when it didn’t look like Torian was going to do anything. “I’m super busy and running late to a meeting,” a lie, “so I’m just going to, umm, pretend I never met you. Because it’s really, really important I make this meeting.”

Torian blinked at her. He could tell she was lying. But she wasn’t drawing her weapon to seek vengeance on him for what the Mandalorians did to the Cathar or the Jedi. She looked like she didn’t want to fight him.

“Look,” she sighed, hands on her hips, “you saved me from pirates. You saved my friend from pirates. I don’t want to fight somebody that helped me. So, I’m going to walk away and hopefully you won’t feel like shooting me in the back for all the wrongs the Jedi have done to the Mandalorians.”

Torian continued to blink at her. Most Jedi he met would attack a Mandalorian first and ask questions later. But, most Mandalorians he knew would attack a Jedi first and ask questions later. Both he and Adrestia were aberrations.

“Deal.” Torian realized she expected some form of response. “I won’t attack you.”

She smiled then, a small relieved smile. “Wonderful.”

Torian froze as she approached him. Had she changed her mind?

“Nice to meet you, Torian.” Adrestia thrust out her hand.

“Likewise, Adrestia.” Torian slowly shook her hand.

They had to be the only Jedi and Mandalorian to part as not enemies in the entire galaxy.

“See you around.” She smiled up at him before turning and flouncing away.

“Yeah.” Torian said to himself after she was gone. “Hopefully.” And, damn, did he hope so.


	2. Chapter 2

Torian underestimated his father’s ruthlessness. Of course, Jicoln might not have known that Torian was his son. Either way. Being stabbed hurt.

“You let him get away.” The Grand Champion spoke with censor. She was a tall woman, as tall as Torian, older too, Twi’lek, one of the rare red ones with white eyes.

Torian snorted. “Didn’t do it on purpose.” 

She was silent, staring down at him dispassionately.

“If you hurry you can catch him.” He felt an odd need to impress her.

“Which way did he go?” She looked around.

“That way.” Torian pointed towards a door. “Through that door.”

She grunted, walking away, tossing a medpack over her shoulder at him. “Thanks.” She didn’t sound sincere.

Torian looked down at his stomach then at the medpack. It was too far way, he’d have to crawl for it.

“Osi’kyr.” He sighed, pressing his forehead to the cool metallic floor of the Endar Spire. He was probably going to die.

#

Adrestia found the Endar Spire creepy. Incredibly creepy.

“Didn’t they think to bring lanterns?” She muttered under her breath as she killed the final pirate. Even with the ability to see in the darkness, the Endar Spire was creeptastic. In fact, it probably was her ability to see in the dark that made the wreckage so disconcerting.

Teseven must not have heard her as it made no noise.

Neither did Lieutenant Karslu. 

“_Thank you!_” A Rodian slicer said sincerely as the last body fell.

Adrestia nodded. 

“Could you take this back to Commander Viqui?” Lieutenant Karslu inquired.

“It would be my honor.” Adrestia bowed. “Teeseven, with me.”

Nodding once more, Adrestia turned to leave the wreckage, doubts about the survivability of the crew she was leaving behind. Yes, she killed the pirates that were in the ship, that didn’t mean that more wouldn’t show up. 

Lost in thought, she almost missed the pained groan coming from deeper in the ship.

“Hello?” She called. Was it a pirate that she hadn’t killed? Was it a ruse? “Teeseven, can you scan for life?”

Teeseven’s lights blinked at her for a few seconds before the droid beeped in affirmation. It wasn’t long before the droid beeped at her, confirming that she hadn’t been imagining the noise.

Frowning, Adrestia ignited her lightsaber, to use the weapon as both a light- unneeded, really - and a weapon in case of an ambush. 

“Stay close to me, Teesven.” She directed the astromech.

Teeseven whirred.

She picked her way slowly through the ship, trying in vain to hear another noise to indicate the life that Teeseven proved was present. Almost giving up, she heard it. Another pained grunt.

“Hello?” She called out softly. “Are you injured?”

“I’m behind the column!” Came the gasping barely audible reply.

“Torian?” Adrestia frowned. What happened to him?

#

Torian was three feet away from the medpack but he was losing blood too quickly. He was going to die. And without avenging his Clan’s honor.

“Hello? Are you injured?” A voice in the darkness, the Grand Champion having taken all the lights with her.

“I’m behind the column!” He wasn’t sure how loud his answer was, it sounded loud to his ears, but it couldn’t have been.

“Torian?” The voice asked.

Torian felt his eyes widen. “Adrestia?”

Like a miracle, an angel, she came around the corner, her pink lightsaber held aloft for light, Teeseven close behind.

Adrestia gasped, running and sliding across the floor to reach him, her still ignited lightsaber skidding across the floor to slowly hiss and begin cutting into a random piece of debris. “What happened?” Her hands pressed to his abdomen. “How are you not dead?” She glanced around madly, her eyes landing on the medpack, a bloodied hand left his stomach to yank the pack towards her in a violent motion. The medpack flew through the air to land in her hand. “Teesven! Find one of my medpacks!”

The droid whirred.

Adrestia ripped the medpack open with her teeth, one handed dumping out all the contents, not minding Torian’s blood as he slowly bled out on her.

Torian blinked, his eyes heavy, vision blurry as he saw how her eyes glowed in the darkness, the light from her lightsaber causing a strange glow behind her.

“This is going to hurt.” Adrestia stated, biting her lips. She was rubbish at healing people, never quite got the hang of it, only really knew enough to heal herself but in dire emergencies she could heal somebody in a pinch. It’d have to be a life or death situation. Like now, her brain yelled at her.

“What’s,” Torian was having trouble forming thoughts and words, “what’s hurt?”

“This.” She grimaced, her eyes landing apologetic on his before he felt a searing pain.

Crying out, Torian’s vision went grey for a second, the searing pain unbearable, it was like he was being stabbed again, but ten times worse. A sound he likened to animals keening in pain tore from his throat.

Adrestia clenched her eyes shut. This was why she didn’t heal others; it was usually worse than the injury. But it was working. She was mending whatever was rended inside Torian, knitting his organs, muscles, skin back together. He’d sport one hell of scar though.

Panting, she forced herself to stay conscious. Another reason she didn’t heal others, she usually passed out afterwards.

“There.” Her eyelids fluttered. “All better.”

“Adrestia?” Torian touched his stomach, underneath all the blood, his abdomen was whole, no injury. He felt a massive scar. A life-long proof of his survival.

“Are you,”she pressed her bloodied hands to her face, “are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” Torian gazed in amazement at her. For somebody so young to hold such power.

“Good.” Her smile was endearing right before her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed.

“Addy!” Torian scrambled to catch her.

Teeseven beeped in dismay.

Torian cradled Adrestia’s head and looked at the droid.

What did he do?

#

She woke up to somebody petting her mane. Nobody petted her. Growling, she turned, imbuing her movement with the Force, she pinned whoever was petting her.

“Cathar do growl.” Torian stared up at her in wonder, no fear, a little bit of awe.

Adrestia rolled her eyes. “Well, yeah. So do Bothans, Wookies, and Talz.” Sniffing, she shook her mane out of her eyes, he’d mussed her mane when he pet her. 

“And Chiss.” Torian’s eyes roamed over what little he could see of her face in the lightsaber light. And her eyes, they glowed in the dark.

“Chiss growl?” Adrestia tilted her head to the side. 

Torian nodded. “Yeah.” Finally meeting her gaze, he made a show of testing her grip on his arms, fully aware of her curvaceous body on top of him. “You wanna let me up or are you planning on taking me?” A horrible joke that would’ve gotten him punched or kissed by a fellow Mandalorian.

Real confusion entered her gaze. “Where would I take you? You’re not my prisoner.”

Torian blinked up at her. Did she really not know what their current position would look like to a third party?

“What?” She sounded annoyed now.

“You do realize what our current positions would look like to another person, right?” 

She frowned. “No.”

Wow. Were all Jedi this innocent or only her? “It looks like we’re about to have sex.”

She withdrew quickly, panic and mild horror on her face, Force-pushing herself off him. “Sorry!”

He slowly sat up.

“Anyway.” She stood, not looking at him, sniffing again. “You’re fine now. So.” She crossed her arms, looking at his feet. 

Torian narrowed his eyes and glared at her. Was the idea of having sex with him really so horrific? What was up with Jedi? Why were they so fucking weird?

“Yeah. Thanks.” He stood too, realizing he towered over her, he hadn’t noticed earlier. “Sorry you had to touch a disgusting Mando.” The sentence came out more accusatory than he meant.

Her eyes narrowed back. “Where did that come from?”

“I saw the look of horror on your face as you couldn’t wait to get the hell away from me.” Crossing his arms, he felt his anger rising. Being a Mandalorian wasn’t as evil as the Jedi seemed to think. “You hated the idea of touching me. Of the thought of being seen being on top of me.”

“That wasn’t why I was horrified!” 

“Oh really?”

“Yes! Really!” Adrestia stomped her foot in frustration. “I was horrified because I hardly know you! Why would I want to have sex with somebody I hardly know?”

“Oh, so if we knew each other better, you wouldn’t have a problem giving it up to me?” Torian’s eyes widened at that statement.

He knew he said the worst thing he could’ve said at her outraged gasp. Even Teeseven whirred in surprise.

“Adrestia-,” Torian started.

She held up a hand, shaking her head.

“Addy, I didn’t mean-,” she cut him off with a growl.

“Listen, Torian, I don’t know what kind of woman you’re used to, but I am not interested in jumping into bed with you.” Her hand reaching out, her lightsaber flying through the air to land perfectly in her palm.

“It doesn’t have to happen in a bed.” What was he saying? Shut up!

The room’s temperature seemed to drop as they glared at each other.

Her grip on the hilt of her lightsaber adjusted and Torian feared she’d run him through, hours after healing him.

Torian breathed in relief when her lightsaber de-ignited and she hung it on her belt.

“Right.” Her voice was waspish, shaking with anger. “Goodbye.”

Turning on her heel, she began to stalk away.

Torian rushed after her, tripping on debris in the sudden darkness. “Addy!”

“That’s not my name!” She rounded on him, eyes flashing.

“Sorry.” Torian apologized, lamely.

She took a massive breath, scenting the air. It was a little-known fact, but Force-sensitive Cathar could smell emotions. Torian was sorry. He just sucked at apologies. 

The similarity to herself struck a chord. They were both horrible at apologies.

Torian felt like he was being dissected, an ant under a magnifying glass; whether Adrestia was planning on only studying him or catching him on fire was to be seen.

“Did you mean the insults about sleeping with me?” Her question wasn’t phrased correctly.

“No. I didn’t mean to imply that you’d sleep with me at the drop of a hat if you knew me better.” He ran a hand over his hair, wishing he could see her face. “Look, Adrestia, I really am sorry. The horrified look on your face angered me.”

“I wasn’t horrified at the idea of sleeping with you, I’d be lucky to sleep with you.” She blinked. “I mean, that if we knew more about each other more and we weren’t natural enemies, and we could be in a relationship-,” she growled again, stomping her foot. “I’m just making it worse for myself, aren’t I?”

He smirked; he couldn’t help it. “Yeah.” She groaned again. “But I understand. You weren’t horrified at the thought of sleeping with me per se, you were horrified at the idea of a meaningless one-night stand.”

She exclaimed. “Exactly!”

He wondered if she could see his returning tentative smile.

“Thank you for saving me, Adrestia.” Torian bowed, hand over his heart.

“You may call me ‘Addy’.” She sniffed. “If you want.”

His smirk widened. “Really?”

“It’s not a big deal.” Her voice feigned dismissiveness.

Teeseven beeped.

“Fine!” She hissed at the droid. “You’d be the only person to call me Addy.” She turned baleful eyes to the droid. “Happy?”

Teesven chirped affirmation.

“Addy,” he spoke into the darkness, “do you think you could escort me out of here? I can’t see.”

There was silence from the darkness before a giggle sounded. 

“Right, you’re human. You can’t see in the dark.” 

“It’s not funny.” He knew she wasn’t making fun of him.

“Wanna hold my hand?” She asked.

“Yes.” He heard himself say.

“K.” 

Torian watched as her eyes came closer, felt her hand slip into his.

“I’ll tell you when there’s debris, so you don’t trip.”

“Thanks.” He wondered if she was smiling.

Teeseven chirped in aggravation before a blinding light came on.

Adrestia looked disappointed for a second before reluctantly dropping Torian’s hand.

“You should’ve said you had a flashlight earlier, Teeseven.” She admonished the droid. “It would’ve made it easier to patch him up.”

Teeseven chirped again.

“What do you mean you were panicking and didn’t think of it?” Sighing, rolling her eyes at Torian at her droid’s antics, she began leading him out of the ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Osi’kyr - Mando'a, means "shit"


	3. Chapter 3

Torian decided Teeseven hated him. If the droid wasn’t bumping into Torian’s leg, it was blocking Torian’s view of Adrestia’s ass and hips as she walked.

“So, Torian,” Adrestia twirled a strand of mane around her finger, “why are you in the Endar Spire?”

“I’m hunting for my father.” Torian couldn’t hide the anger in his voice.

Adrestia frowned. “Why?”

“Because-” he tripped over a piece of debris the droid’s light didn’t shine on. “Can we talk about it once we’re out of the deathtrap?”

“Alright.” She could wait.

#

For being so hideous, Taris was oddly pretty at dusk.

Adrestia checked her chrono. She wasn’t late per se but everybody would probably be wondering where she was by now.

“Thank you.” Torian sighed, making a mental note to pack his own med-packs and flashlights in the future.

Adrestia smiled over her shoulder at him. “No problem.”

The two of them stood awkwardly.

“Torian, why are you hunting your father?” She finally asked.

“To reclaim honor for my Clan.” He wouldn’t think she’d understand.

“I don’t understand.” Adrestia frowned.

“To us Mandalorians, your Clan, your family, and honor comes first. My father broke that. I have to reclaim it.” His voice held steel.

“Why?” She didn’t understand but she wanted to.

“I won’t be accepted by the other Clans until I do.” Which was almost a lie. Clan Ordo accepted him. Most of Clan Lok as well. Some of Clan Fett. But still, he was still a traitor’s son to so many.

Adrestia worried her top lip, twirling a strand of mane around her finger as she studied his face in the dying light. “I understand the need to be accepted.” She wished she was as well, but her fellow Jedi didn’t accept her. Not really. Neither did her fellow Cathar.

Torian glanced at her, her face turned towards the setting sun, contemplative gaze in her eyes. “Addy,” he paused, he didn’t know what to say.

Turning her full attention back to him she smiled up at him. “I’m glad I was able to save you, Torian.”

“Yeah.” Now he really didn’t know what to say.

“I’m also really glad to have met you.” She looked away in embarrassment.

“Likewise.” He found himself smiling.

Teeseven beeped in annoyance.

“Right!” Adrestia patted herself down, sighing in relief when she felt the dataspike with the information on it. “I have to go.” She looked reluctant to leave. “Bye, Torian.”

With a small wave, she walked off into the sunset.

Torian stood gazing after her. “Bye Addy.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do you realize how hard it is to be mean to Torian? I feel terrible :(

_Jedi keep getting younger and younger_. Or that’s what Doc thought as he watched Adrestia and Kira meditate. 

It was strange. 

“Oh, Doc! Hello!” Adrestia smiled up at him. 

Doc smiled back. “So, Tia,” he ignored her frown to wink at her, “maybe we should go back to my room. I can give you a physical.”

“Why couldn’t we do it in the medbay?” Adrestia gazed at him in confusion.

“So, we could have some privacy.”

“We can get privacy in the medbay. Nobody else was injured planetside.” Adrestia laughed at the silly thought of Teeseven needing to visit a medbay.

“The medbay doors don’t lock.” Doc was trying to be as subtle as possible with Kira standing only a few feet away.

Adrestia’s brow furrowed. “Why would we lock the doors? What if Kira injured herself? A locked door would prevent her from getting the supplies she needed.”

Doc stifled a groan. Was Adrestia really this clueless? He spared a glance to Adrestia’s Padawan. He saw Kira’s barely perceptible nod of affirmation. Yes, Adrestia was really this clueless.

“You know what,” Doc waved good naturedly, “I’m sure you’re fine. You seemed to have healed yourself up properly with your fancy Force powers after the last fight. If something bothers you just come find good ol’ Doc.”

Adrestia nodded, pleased. “I will. Thank you!” Patting Doc on the arm, she headed towards her room.

“Hey, sweetcheeks.” Doc figured Kira loathed him and as such needed a particularly embarrassing pet name.

“Yes?” Kira ground out.

“How old is our sweet Tia?” Doc was horrible at gauging ages of species with fur.

Kira’s face morphed into one of cruel pleasure. “She’s seventeen.”

Doc blinked at her. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope.” She shook her head. “She’s seventeen, alright.”

Sighing, Doc smacked his forehead with his hand. “Shit!” Adrestia was too young and too innocent, inexperienced, naive for him to have any romantic interest in.

Kira chuckled. “Cheer up, Doc, I’m sure you can get shore leave on every planet.”

“Oh, har har. Very funny.” Doc sneered as Kira walked away from him.

#

The punch came from nowhere, causing Torian’s head to snap back.

“Soggeva!” Mako’s scandalized voice sounded.

Torian felt the warm blood gushing from his now broken nose.

“Don’t ever fail me again.” Soggeva stared coldly at him.

“I won’t.” Torian didn’t understand how he failed her in the first place.

The Twi'lek sneered before walking away.

“What did you do?” Mako asked softly, slapping Torian’s hands away from his face to feel his nose.

“I suggested we kill the bounty instead of bringing him in alive like the Chiss wanted.” Torian thought the pirate deserved that at least.

Mako blanched. “Soggeva doesn’t do suggestions.”

“Noticed that.”

Sighing, Mako dropped her hands. “Your nose is broken. Go see Gault in the medbay.”

Torian nodded. 


	5. Chapter 5

“Hoth isn’t that bad.” Adrestia murmured. 

It wasn’t. At least not to her.

**:T7 = not cold.:**

“Thanks little buddy.” Adrestia winked at the droid. 

Kira and Doc glared at it.

“We’re here to meet a Sergeant Rusk, correct?” Adrestia asked pleasantly, gazing in curiosity at her companions’ massive winter coats and gear.

“Yep!” Came Doc’s muffled reply.

“Doc, I can barely see your face.” Adrestia chuckled. “You two look hilarious.”

Two muffled groans of annoyance were heard from the two humans. Adrestia giggled again.

#

Fidelton glanced between the three people in front of him. He ruled out the male as the Jedi as he’d been informed that the Jedi was female. However, there were two females. One human, one Cathar. The human was older. She had to be the Jedi Master.

“Master Jedi Adrestia,” Fidelton bowed to the human, “it is an honor to meet you and your crew.”

Kira sighed, frowning. She loved Adrestia, she hated that Adrestia was her Master by the simple fact that this always happened.

Adrestia giggled. “No, Sergeant Rusk, I’m Jedi Adrestia.” She took a step forward and held out a hand.

Fidelton glanced from Kira to Adrestia’s outheld hand. 

**:Rusk + Jedi = show respect.:** Teeseven beeped in indignation.

“This is my Padawan Kira Carsen and our doctor, Doc.” Adrestia let her hand fall, her other hand gesturing towards her companions. “The droid is Teeseven.” Clasping her hands in front of her she smiled, she hoped, confidentiality at the much taller and older man. “We look forward to working with you.”

Fidelton blinked in surprise. “Yes, likewise.” Apparently, he was forgiven for his gaffe.

#

Soggeva glanced over her crew. Somebody was missing.

“Where’s Torian?” She heaved a sigh. The Mandalorian was almost too much trouble.

“He’s not here.” Mako frowned. “He’s not picking up his holo either.”

Soggeva’s frown deepened. Opening her mouth to ask a question the ship’s holoterminal cut on.

“You should really spend more time with things you love before they get taken away.” It was a man with a Republic accent, wearing the strangest mercenary gear Soggeva had ever seen.

“Meaning?” Soggeva arched a brow, one of her lekku twitching in irritation.

The man smiled, showing an image of a beaten Torian tied to a chair. “We’ll be waiting.”

The image cut out.

“Who the fuck is that?” Skadge asked.

“Who has Torian?” Mako sounded like she was going to cry.

“This isn’t good.” Gault muttered.

Blizz and Soggeva said nothing.

“Mako, what’s our next Blacklist target?” The Twi’lek asked.

“Uh, let me check.” Mako pulled out her datapad. “We have a message from a Darth Tormen.”

Soggeva frowned in a way that indicated she was thinking. “Set course for Darth Tormen then. Torian can save himself.”

“You sure about that?” Gault asked what everybody but Skadge was thinking. Gault thought Soggeva and Torian were a thing; was he wrong?

“Yes. Torian is Mando’ade, if he can’t escape mercs then he ain’t worth two shits and shouldn’t be a part of this crew.” Soggeva turned a mean eye to Mako. “Set course for Darth Tormen.”

“Yes, boss!” Mako squeaked. 


	6. Chapter 6

Adrestia held the binoculars to her face, taking in the scenery that was the cave she was currently snowed into.

“Tia, you ok?” Doc’s voice over her comm.

“I’m fine, Doc.” Adrestia replied. “How is everybody out there?”

Adrestia had been trying to find a spot good enough for her entire crew to hole in when the massive miles wide blizzard hit. The only problem was the blizzard hit thirty minutes early, causing Adrestia to get blocked in a cave separate from her crew.

“Kira looks like she’s about to murder Rusk. He keeps spouting some banthashit about how we can tough out the blizzard, continue on with our mission.” Doc sounded amused and slightly worried.

“Don’t worry, Doc. I told Teeseven not to allow anybody out in this storm. Not even Rusk. Informed it to shock people if it had to.” Adrestia chuckled silently.

“Oh, thank the stars.” Doc sounded relieved.

Adrestia smothered another laugh. If the prospect of getting shocked by Teeseven’s electric probe made Doc happy then the storm must be horrible for the poor man. She was suddenly glad of her fur.

“Listen, Doc, I’m turning off my comm, to preserve power for when the blizzard ends, alright.” Adrestia heard the crackle of the comms, a sign that the already shitty radio signal was about to die anyway.

“Understood.” Doc’s voice sounded like it was through water.

Sighing, she turned off her comm. It was just as well.

Sniffing, trying to get comfortable, she frowned. She wasn’t the only person in the cave. She was just one of many.

“Oh, I do hope it’s not pirates.” Adrestia was exhausted from killing pirates.

Scrambling to her feet, she decided she’d check it out.

#

Torian couldn’t believe it. Soggeva wasn’t coming to help him. Did that mean she didn’t like Torian as much as he liked her? But why would she flirt with him? Why did she seem open to the idea of sex?

“Oh, hello.”

Torian’s head snapped towards the entrance of the room, crying out in pain when it twinged his bruised and sore neck. He could barely see who spoke anyway. All he knew was that the voice didn’t belong to Soggeva.

#

Adrestia was not sharing a cave with pirates. She appeared to be sharing a cave with mercenaries. Not bounty hunters or Mandalorians, just mercenaries. 

The mercenaries gazed her in surprise after her greeting.

Adrestia’s hand hid her lightsaber behind her back as she quickly sensed and counted the amount of enemies -because these mercenaries didn’t want her there. Twelve. There were twelve. And one victim tied to a chair. Without thought, she let her eyes be drawn to the figure in the chair. Red mohawk, tattooed face.

“Torian?” Adrestia gasped in horror. What had these monsters done to Torian?

“Listen here, little girl, we don’t want to harm you, but we can’t have you blabbing neither.” One of the mercenaries held up a tranq gun.

Adrestia blocked the tranq with her lightsaber. Growling, she launched herself at the man.

#

Torian couldn’t see what was happening, only heard blaster fire and what he thought was a lightsaber. But Soggeva didn’t have a lightsaber.

Finally, his last captor’s body hit the ground at Torian’s feet.

“Torian?” Gentle hands lifted his face. “Oh, Torian!”

Torian blinked his one good eye, trying to focus. “Addy?” He recognized those eyes, that scar.

“Oh, Torian.” Adrestia wanted to cry. “What happened to you?”

He coughed up blood. “I got captured as bait.” He started coughing earnestly.

“Shh, shh, don’t try and talk. I have some kolto in my bag.” Adrestia was never gladder to have Doc insist that every crew member carry a medpack. “Let me free you from this chair.” 

Gently, she motioned with her hand, ripping Torian’s bindings off with the Force, catching him as he fell forward. 

“Here we go.” She cooed at him, lowering him to the floor. “Just relax and you’ll be all better soon.”

Torian blinked at her. “I trust you.”

“Shhh.”

#

Torian woke feeling warm. He had a blanket on top of him and a tent around him, a tiny heater going.

“Addy?” He slowly sat up, realizing he wasn’t wearing his armor.

Frantically, he looked around, breathing out in relief when he spotted it stacked neatly in the corner of the tent.

“Addy?” She wasn’t in the tent. Getting to his feet, Torian shuffled over to the tent flap, lifting it slightly to see that the tent was still in the larger cave and Adrestia had her back to him, on her knees, enveloped in a golden light. “Wow.” He breathed. It was beautiful.

The light died abruptly, her head whipping around. “Oh, Torian.” Her face split into a smile. “You’re awake. But why are you out of bed?” She got to her feet in one fluid motion, leaping over to him to gently push him back inside. “You should be resting. Your bones won’t heal if you’re moving around.”

Torian chuckled at this younger, smaller woman as she herded him back to the sleeping bag. “You didn’t Force-heal me, did you?”

Adrestia shook her head. “No. I had a proper medpack this time.”

Torian gazed at her as she helped him lay once more in the sleeping bag. 

“There.” She smiled, sweeping his hair off his face. “Get some rest.”

Torian cocked a grin. “You’ll be here when I wake up?”

“Yes.” Her simple answer had him closing his eyes and drifting off.

#

Adrestia chewed her thumb and watched Torian sleep. Why was he bait? Who was he supposed to be bait for? His father? His Clan?

Why didn’t the person come for him?

Who would do this to him?

So many unanswered questions.

#

He woke with something tickling his nose and a weight on his chest. Popping open an eye he saw that Adrestia’s mane had gotten loose and was pooled on his neck and chest and was what was tickling his nose. Her head and arms were the weight on his chest. She was facing him.

His eyes roamed hungry over her face. Memorizing every stripe, ever freckles, every pucker of the scar, how the light shone and reflected in her mane.

“It’s rude to stare at people.” Her voice was still sleepy.

“Sorry.” Torian found himself staring into her grey eyes.

“It’s alright. It’s also rude to fall asleep on injured people.” But she didn’t make a move to get off. “I was listening to your heartbeat. I guess it lulled me to sleep.” Her smile was apologetic.

“It’s alright.” He reached out a hand, placing it gently on her head, stroking her mane. It was so soft.

She sighed and closed her eyes again. “The blizzard is still going on. We might be stuck here for a while.”

Torian nodded.

“Go back to sleep, Torian. You need to heal.” Adrestia was already drifting back to sleep.

He closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep as well, his hand still in her mane.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I mentioned I hate being mean to Torian?

The next time Torian awoke he was wrapped around something soft and warm. Cracking open an eye he gazed into the face of Adrestia. At some point, she had crawled into the sleeping bag with him.

He panicked. What was he to do? He did not want her to wake up and realize he was snuggling her. Were Jedi even allowed to snuggle? Let alone snuggle a Mando?

“Torian, your panic is giving me a headache.” Her brow furrowed. 

He watched with wide eyes as hers opened.

“You sleep well?” She touched his forehead before her hands were roaming over his torso, poking and prodding gently, checking his broken bones. “No more broken bones.” She sighed in relief. “Good.” She sniffed his face and breath. “No more internal bleeding either. Excellent.” She crawled out of the sleeping bag, tucking a strand of mane behind an ear. “Eat this.” Adrestia shoved a ration bar into his hand.

Torian sat up, looking at the ration bar. It was a fish ration bar. He ate it gratefully.

“You’ve been asleep for three days. I crawled into the sleeping bag with you yesterday morning. Thinking my purring could help you heal faster. Since, umm, Cathar purring* helps heal people apparently. I wanted to test it out.” She looked down and away, hiding behind a curtain of her mane.

Torian cracked a smile. She was embarrassed. “I didn’t realize Cathar had healing abilities specific to their species.”

“Yes, well.” She huffed in annoyance, crossing her arms. “It’s no big deal.” She turned an annoyed eye on him. “The blizzard is over, and I should be able to get us out of the cave with no problem.” Sniffing, she turned away and began packing up the tent.

Torian watched her from his place in the sleeping bag. He wanted to thank her for saving his life again.

“Torian,” her voice soft, her gaze on his armor, “why were you used as bait?”

He blushed; he’d forgotten he mentioned that while delirious with pain. “The woman I travel with, she angered the wrong person. They sent mercs after me, captured me, in hopes of luring her into a trap.”

Adrestia frowned, that explanation didn’t make the icky feeling inside her go away. “Was she coming to rescue you?”

Torian shook his head. “No.”

Adrestia’s frown deepened. “She left you to die.”

“No, she trusted that I could get myself out of trouble.” There was a difference.

“Torian, I healed you. Every rib was broken, your cheek bones were broken, your brain was swelling, and you had internal bleeding; you would’ve died if I hadn’t rescued you when I did.” She looked at her hands. “In fact, you almost did die. Twice. While I was trying to save you.”

Torian stood, pacing. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not lying.” She looked at him in shock. “She left you to die.”

“She wouldn’t do that. She was testing me.” Torian turned away.

“Well then she’s an uber asshole if her way of testing you was leaving you to die from torture!” Adrestia stood, glaring defiantly at his back. “There is no way you would’ve escaped in time to save yourself! And even if you did escape your bonds and magically killed all those mercs, you would’ve died from freezing to death.”

Torian tensed but he didn’t say anything.

“Whatever.” Adrestia muttered, leaving the tent, ignoring the scent of Torian’s tears.

Torian turned swiftly, only seeing her mane as she stomped out of the tent. Adrestia was wrong. Soggeva did not leave him to die.

#

Adrestia never knew meditating could fail her so utterly. 

Torian was an idiot. Whoever he was traveling with left him to die and he was too stupid to see it.

“Stupid Mando!” Adrestia kicked at the frozen wall. “Stupid man!” She kicked the wall again. Were all men as stupid as Torian?

No wonder Grandmaster Satele warned Adrestia about emotional attachments. Men were stupid and the older woman was trying to keep Adrestia from finding out firsthand.

“Ugh!” Adrestia screeched in frustration, kicking the wall again.

She was rewarded by the satisfying sound of the wall cracking. Ice was rather like glass when it shattered. It was beautiful and shattered in different ways.

Blowing a strand of mane out of her face, she gazed critically at her handiwork. 

She was still frustrated. Kicking the wall hadn’t made her feel better.

“Ugh!” She clenched her fists and barely repressed a screech. 

Nothing was making her feel better!

“Addy!” Torian tackled her to the ground seconds before a massive ice stalactite crashed into the floor she’d been standing on.

Adrestia blinked in surprise, all her anger washing out of her body. Grandmaster Satele was correct; anger really did get you killed.

Torian gazed down at her, her eyes wide and unseeing as she continued to gaze at the mess of broken ice where she’d been standing. “Addy?”

Her eye snapping to his she took a breath. “Thank you, Torian.” She gently pushed him off her.

Getting to her feet, she walked into the tent.

Torian started, confused, after her.

He found her sitting on the sleeping bag, knees to her chest, gazing into space.

“Addy?” He touched her elbow.

“Oh, Torian.” Her eyes flickered to his face before skittering away. “Thank you for saving me.” She wiped the back of her hand across her face.

That was when he realized she was crying. “You want to talk about it?”

She shook her head. “No. I’ll be fine in a minute. Thank you though.” She turned away from him.

Torian frowned. “Addy, crying alone is not getting better.”

“What do you know? You won’t admit that your friend left you to die.” She sniffed again.

“Fine! Be that way!” Torian stood, stomping over to his armor, hastily putting it on, and leaving the tent.

#

What felt like hours later, Torian spotted Adrestia carrying a pack and Torian’s weapon to the mouth of the cave.

“I found your weapon.” She handed it off to him without looking him in the eye.

Torian grunted, slinging the weapon on his back. He watched in interest as Adrestia glared at the wall of ice that blocked the exit.

“You got a way of getting us out of here?” He asked eventually.

Adrestia shushed him.

Torian sighed and crossed his arms. Waiting.

Finally, Adrestia closed her eyes, outstretching a hand. Torian felt his ears pop as some invisible energy gathered around her.

He couldn’t stop the feeling of being impressed when he saw her toss out her arm, as if throwing an invisible ball at the wall of ice, nor hide his gasp of shock when the wall of ice exploded outward, opening the cave entrance.

“There.” Adrestia stumbled a little, Torian caught her. “I’m fine, thank you.”

Torian didn’t let her go and she didn’t push him away.

“Addy,” he pushed her mane out of her face so he could look into her eyes, “thank you for saving me.”

“You’re welcome.” Her expression softened, her fingers touching his face. “Thank you for saving me from being crushed.”

They gazed at each other.

“Addy,” he licked his lips, his gaze falling to hers.

“Yes?” Was she angling her face for a kiss?

“Rangir*!” Torian rasped before kissing her.

Adrestia froze. Torian was kissing her. And it felt wonderful.

She’d never been kissed before, but this was an almost perfect first kiss. His lips were hesitant, soft, not too demanding.

For Torian’s first kiss, Adrestia was everything he could’ve asked for. Lips soft, allowing him to take the lead. 

Speaking of which, his tongue flicked over her lips. She opened her mouth slightly, his tongue swept in. Both groaned. His hands moved to fist in her mane, her hands cupped the back of his head gently, her tongue running along his tentatively. Torian groaned again, deepening the kiss.

Adrestia felt lightheaded. Was this what it felt to kiss all the time? Or was this just with Torian? She whimpered when his tongue withdrew, only for her whimper to turn into a moan when he nipped at her bottom lip before he sucked her tongue into his mouth.

Moaning, Torian played with her tongue, his tongue tracing over her pointed teeth. 

A shrill beeping forced him to end the kiss. He gazed into her glazed eyes.

“I think your babysitter spotted us.” He couldn’t hide his humor.

“He’s not my babysitter.” Adrestia glanced up at the ridge, seeing that the source of the noise was Teeseven.

“Then why was he just screeching at us to stop kissing?” He nipped at the tip of her ear.

She gasped again.

“Ret’urcye mhi*, Addy.” He smiled down at her, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before walking away.

Adrestia blinked at him, brain still befuddled from the kiss.

Teeseven shocked her with his probe.

“OW!” Adrestia yelped, clutching at her hand. “What was that for?”

**:Jedi + kissing + Mandalorian = is not done!:**

Adrestia ducked her head. “You can’t tell anybody, Teeseven. Please!” She knelt to stare the droid in its ‘eye’. “Please?”

Teeseven chirped in annoyance.

“Please, Teeseven. He was just thanking me for saving his life.” She patted the droid’s ‘head’. “Really. That’s just how Mandalorians are.” She hoped.

Teeseven seemed to glare at her before it chirped.

**:T7 + Jedi = friends// T7 + secret = will keep.:**

“Thanks buddy.” Adrestia hugged the droid. “Hey, how did you get out of the cave?”

**:T7 + laser torch = burn hole in ice wall//Jedi + alone = T7 worried// T7 + worry + laser torch = come find Jedi friend.:**

Adrestia giggled. “Thanks, Teeseven.” She hugged the droid again. “Let’s go rescue the rest of our friends.”

Teeseven chirped a grumpy affirmative. 

“How many times did you have to shock Rusk?” Adrestia waited eagerly for the answer.

**:Rusk + stubborn = T7 had to shock thirty times// Doc + sedative = solved the problem of Rusk.:**

Adrestia couldn’t hide her giggles. “That’s hilarious.”

Teeseven whirred in humor.

#

Torian listened with a smile at Adrestia’s and her droid’s conversation. It had taken him a while, but he finally understood it. Torian had no idea who Rusk or Doc was, but the fact that the little droid worked in tandem with Doc to make sure Rusk didn’t cause trouble was hilarious.

Shaking his head, Torian began making his to the nearest Imperial outpost. He had to get back to Soggeva.

#

Soggeva gave him the once over. “So, you made it out alive.”

“Yes.” Torian didn’t mention how he almost died.

Soggeva looked him over again, critical frown on her face. “Skadge! You owe me three hundred credits!” She clapped Torian on the shoulder. 

Torian watched the Twi’lek walk away.

Mako hugged Torian. “I’m glad you’re back.”

Torian hugged her back. “Thanks, Mako.”

Mako wouldn’t look him in the eye.

“She left me to die, didn’t she? It wasn’t a test.” He knew the answer by Mako’s continued silence.

“I’m sorry, Torian.” Mako sniffled.

“It’s not your fault.” Torian patted her on the head. 

Turning, Torian headed towards his bunk, heart heavy. Adrestia was right. Soggeva really did leave him to die.

“Hey, where do you think you’re doing?” Soggeva stood in the door of her bedroom.

“To my bunk.” Torian pointed down the stairs.

“Nope. You’re coming here.” Soggeva pointed behind her to her room.

Torian looked down. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He didn’t.

“Do I look like I care about what you think?” Soggeva scoffed. “Get your ass in here.”

“No.” Torian didn’t look her in the eye.

“No?” Her voice was deadly quiet. Nobody told her no.

“I’m tired and I’d be no use to you.” He backpedaled. “I had to survive in a blizzard, stealing supplies from a Jedi. I’d like to sleep. Please.”

Soggeva tilted her head to the side. “Sure. But you come find me after you’ve convalesced. Got it?”

“Got it.” Torian inclined his head then headed down the stairs.

Gault looked on in pity as the young Mandalorian flopped down on his bunk. “You’re going to have to be firmer than that, my boy.”

Torian turned towards the Devaronian dandy. “I know.”

#

“Well, Rusk, here is your bunk.” Adrestia gestured towards one of the bunks in the crews’ barracks.

Fidelton rolled his eyes. Now he was forced to work with a child on a more permanent basis. “Thanks.” He tossed his kit on the bed. “So, when do I meet who’s really in charge?”

He wasn’t impressed with Jedi Adrestia. Sure, she was powerful, more powerful than the older girl, Kerah, Karen, whatever the Padawan’s name was. But Adrestia was weak in the fact that she cared about the welfare of people over the success of the mission.

Adrestia’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Who’s really in charge?”

“Yeah, like who pilots the ship and decides who does what on the missions.” His gaze ran critically over Adrestia. “The real boss of the ship.”

Adrestia’s eyes sparked. “I am the boss.”

Rusk snorted. “Right. Really, who’s the boss?”

Adrestia’s shoulder began crackling with lightning. “I am. And if you can’t get that through your thick skull, then maybe you should transfer.” Fists clenched at her side, a black aura coming off her, she continued. “I may be young but the Grandmaster and entire Jedi Council trust me and my judgement. I am a full-fledged Knight of the Order. That comes with all the authority as a fucking General in the goddamn military. Do I make myself clear?”

Rusk blinked at her. “Sure.”

Adrestia huffed. “Confined to your quarters for two weeks.” She walked out of the crews’ barracks. “Seetwo, make sure Sergeant Rusk follows my orders and doesn’t leave the barracks. You provide him with all his meals.”

“Of course, Master!” Seetwo sound pleased. “I’ll make sure Sergeant Rusk follows orders to the letter!”

Rusk watched in trepidation as Seetwo’s hands started crackling, rather similar to the prod attachment the astromech unit had.

“You’ll be pleased to learn, Sergeant Rusk, that I have a food processor attached to me and I can personally make all your meals without ever leaving my post.” The droid sounded fanatical.

Rusk swallowed. He might’ve been too hasty in his assessment of Adrestia.

#

Adrestia lay in bed later, having successfully meditated her anger at Rusk away. Her mind kept replaying the kiss she shared with Torian. Did it mean as much to him as it did to her?

She looked up the terms he used both before and after he kissed her. 

Rangir. To hell with it. 

Ret’urcye mhi. Maybe we’ll meet again.

She hoped so. She fervently hoped so.

#

Torian lay in his bunk thinking of Adrestia. He really hoped he saw her again. But he doubted it.

The galaxy was huge. And it was sheer coincidence that they met again on Hoth.

“Pst, Torian!” Soggeva’s drunk voice a second before she crawled between his sheets. “Let’s cuddle.”

Torian couldn’t push her out although he wanted to. “Nothing but cuddling.”

“Nothing but cuddling.” She hiccupped in his ear. “‘m too drunk for anything else anyway.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rangir - To hell with it; Mandalorian
> 
> Ret’urcye mhi - maybe we'll meet again
> 
> Cat purrs can heal people. And since Cathar are a cat-like people then why can't their purrs heal people like earth cats???? Also, here are some articles about it:
> 
> https://consciouscat.net/2019/01/07/the-cats-purr-a-biomechanical-healing-mechanism/
> 
> https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/ast02nov_1
> 
> https://infinitespider.com/cat-purring-and-healing-bones/
> 
> https://asa.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1121/1.4777098


	8. Chapter 8

“If Jomar thinks it isn’t a good idea, maybe it isn't.” Adrestia stated calmly.

Silence met that statement, she looked up to meet the eyes of each of the Jedi in the room. Jomar seemed relieved that she was agreeing with him. Everybody else was a mixture of disappointment and unease. Except for Satele.

“Knight Adrestia,” The Grandmaster spoke evenly, “everybody in this room has doubts but nobody has doubts about your loyalty to the Order.” She held up a hand at Jomar’s protestations. “Visions can be wrong.”

Adrestia chewed her bottom lip. She was a full-fledged Jedi, but she was still so young, only seventeen. “Are you sure, Grandmaster?”

The older woman smiled. “I’m sure.”

# 

Adrestia clutched her datapad in her hand. It had taken weeks to get Torian’s email address. 

“Should I do this?” She wanted to live her life with no regrets. 

And, so far, she succeeded. But she knew that if she lived, she’d regret not sending Torian a letter. And if she died, it wouldn’t matter. 

“Ok, Addy,” she’d taken herself to calling herself by the nickname Torian gave her on Taris, “you can do this.”

Sighing, closing her eyes, finding her center, she began to compose a letter.

Minutes later, the letter was finished and set on a timer. If she didn’t stop it, her email account would send the email after a month. 

A month was good. Either she would fail or succeed in turning the Emperor to light.

Locking her datapad, Adrestia stood. It was time.

#

Soggeva was on another one of her benders, celebrating a well-done bounty by drinking and playing a violent game of cards with Skadge.

Shaking his head, Torian went to bed, he wasn’t needed until later, when Soggeva was too drunk to bother walking up the stairs and she’d crawl into his bunk.

Lately, she’d been different towards Torian. Warm, almost kind. She asked if he could teach her Mando’a, despite not being a Mandalorian because she hinted that she was romantically interested in Torian. 

The Mandalorian wasn’t sure he believed it. She seemed interested in him before Hoth too, but she still left him to die.

Sighing, putting on headphones so he could listen to the newest -newest to him, anyway- history about Cathar and the Jedi, he pulled out his datapad to see the email indicator was blinking.

He had an email. But nobody ever emailed him.

“Spammer.” Sighing, he unlocked his datapad to delete the message, pausing when he read the sender name.

Jedi Knight Adrestia.

Sitting up fast enough he knocked his head on the bunk ceiling, he clicked ‘Read’.

**Torian, ( I wanted to put ‘Dear Torian’ but wasn’t sure how you’d respond to that, XP)**

**I think -thought about you often. Don’t know why. It’s probably your hair. You have really pretty hair, and it’s so soft. And I rather like your face tattoo as well.**

**Your eyes are also pretty.**

**I dreamt about you last night. You weren’t happy in my dream but then something happened and you were happy. Your smile lit up your face and I was happy.**

**I’ve never seen you that happy, so I know it was a dream and not a memory.**

**Anyway, I merely (look at me! Using big words like merely! XD) wanted to let you know that I think- thought, no, think- about you, have thought about you, often.**

**You were my first kiss. So, that’s a thing you know now.**

**I have this email set on a timer. So, if you’re reading this then that meant I didn’t stop the timer. Which means I’m dead. Which means I failed.**

**I’m sorry.**

**I wanted to run into you again. I like -liked running into you.**

**Sincerely, **

**Your Addy**

**Jedi Knight Adrestia Nyx**

Torian stared at the letter, re-reading the words. She couldn’t be dead. Addy couldn’t be dead. She was too bright, too brilliant, too alive to be extinguished like that.

She couldn’t be dead.

But she was. Torian checked the date the letter was written and the date it was sent. It was written a month ago, sent today.

She was dead.


	9. Chapter 9

Adrestia shuffled about the ship, despondent, depressed, listless, sluggishly going about her tasks. 

It wasn’t like her.

Even Fidelton, who hadn’t been a member of the crew for very long noticed. Something was wrong with Adrestia.

Something broke her while she was under the Emperor’s spell.

#

“Our first stop is Belsavis.” Lord Scourge had everybody assembled around the holoterminal as he gave the mission debriefing to them and Grandmaster Satele over holo.

“Enna Tabord, a member of our Order, is already on the surface looking for Krannus.” Satele cut her eyes to Adrestia. “She’ll help you find the Executor, but she isn’t strong enough to stop him. That task falls to you.”

Adrestia barely responded, merely blinked her eyes, a grunt was the only way everybody was sure she understood and heard what the Grandmaster said.

Satele frowned slightly looking at the young Cathar. “Go to the planet’s surface and meet with Enna at the coordinates I’m sending you now.” Shaking her head, the Grandmaster’s gaze softened slightly. “May the Force be with you.”

The holocall ended, the conference room silent and stark in its absence.

“Teeseven,” Adrestia stirred slightly, “you’re with me.”

**:T7 + Jedi = Unstoppable team!:**

For once, Adrestia didn’t smile, merely patted the droid on its head before descending the stairs.

Teeseven whirred in dismay.

“It’s alright, Teeseven,” Kira spoke softly, touching the droid’s head, “if anybody can get her back to her old self, it’s you.” She smiled at the droid.

The droid’s lights blinked for a few seconds. **:T7= Jedi’s best hope.:** before rolling itself out of the room.

#

Major Nivah Jon, CO of Havoc Squad, looked at her chrono and waited for Aric to finish catching up with a former neighbor.

“Colonel! We may have a problem!” A soldier rushed in, straight to Colonel Bartaph.

“What is it?” Colonel Bartaph was a pleasant woman, Nivah would call her warm.

“A Jedi has gone to stop a Sith in the Rakata powercore!”

Colonel Bartaph blinked for a few seconds. “How do you know this?”

“One of the prisoners, a Pak Taldine, called us, begging to go help her.” the soldier said.

Colonel Bartaph frowned. “How do we know it’s not a trick?”

The soldier pulled out a datapad. “Here’s an image of her. She came in on the last shuttle with a little astromech droid. She didn’t talk but the droid said their mission was Top Secret, said they were sent by the Grandmaster of the Order.”

Colonel Bartaph’s frown deepened. She recognized the young Cathar now. “Knight Adrestia. She seems a bit young, but I remember hearing about a rising Jedi Knight that was a young Cathar.”

Nivah flicked her gaze to the still. And Jedi Knight Adrestia was young. Couldn’t be more than eighteen years old. Almost too young for the responsibility implied.

“What’s going on?” Aric asked quietly, walking up to Nivah having finished his conversation.

“Jedi Knight. In trouble. Has to stop a Sith from blowing up the planet.” Nivah jerked her head towards the holo image the soldier still held.

“Arda?” Aric gasped, taking a step forward.

“Aric?” Nivah watched wide eyed as her XO and lover approached the Colonel.

“Colonel, Captain Aric Jorgan, Havoc Squad.” Aric saluted perfectly. “I couldn’t help but overhear that you need soldiers to go aid a Jedi.”

Colonel Bartaph blinked at him. “Yes, that’s right Captain.” Havoc Squad?

“I’d like to volunteer Havoc Squad.” Aric stood at parade rest, perfect posture befitting a subordinate addressing somebody of superior rank.

“Volunteer Havoc Squad?” Colonel Bartaph blinked some more.

“Colonel.” Nivah saluted as well, taking a stance just in front of Aric. “Major Nivah Jon of Havoc Squad. I second my XO’s suggestion to let Havoc Squad volunteer.”

Colonel Bartaph’s jaw dropped, dumbfounded. “Yes, of course, Major. I’ll welcome Havoc’s help.” She accepted the datapad from her equally dumbfounded subordinate before passing it off to Nivah. “Here are the coordinates.”

“Thank you, sir.” Nivah saluted again. “Havoc will bring back the Jedi and help save Belsavis.”

“I believe you.” Colonel Bartaph could only watch as Nivah and Aric marched away.

#

Aric recently thought he was in love with Nivah Jon. She was a beautiful Cathar, black fur, yellow eyes, grey mane. Now, after she didn’t question him about going to save Jedi Knight Adrestia, he knew he was in love with her.

“Aric,” Nivah asked from the other side of the speeder Havoc commandeered, “why did we volunteer to go help a Jedi?”

“You remember the reason I told you I joined the military?” Aric asked instead. 

“Your sister went missing. Seduced by a Sith Lord.” Nivah wondered if her and Aric would have Force-sensitive children. If he ever admitted he was in love with her. And if he ever asked her to be his lifemate. And if they ever had time enough to finally retire and start a family. So many ifs.

“This Jedi Knight Adrestia looks exactly like my sister did the day she disappeared.” He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Knight Adrestia’s face. She looked so much like Arda.

Nivah didn’t say anything, only reached over and held his hand, a silent support.

#

Adrestia gazed dully at Executor Krannus. She expected somebody more impressive. Somebody just more.

“You don’t have to do this, Krannus.” She told the Sith.

His response was to laugh.

Sighing, Adrestia ignited her lightsaber.

“You’ll fight, and die, and fail alone, Jedi!” Krannus laughed again.

Adrestia weighed her odds. She probably would die. There was only one of her and twelve of them. And no Teeseven for backup. Those damn electronets.

“She’s not alone.” A gruff female voice spoke. “Major Jon, Havoc Squad here to assist, sir.”

Adrestia blinked in confusion. “Thank you.”

Krannus yelled, spurring the Imperials into action.

Adrestia watched as Krannus leapt towards her, she blocked his first blow. Round and Round, they went, but he was wearing down, she was not.

Finally, the only sounds in the room was the sound of Krannus’ heavy breathing.

“This ends now!” Krannus pulled a knife. 

“Yes, it does.” Adrestia de-ignited her lightsaber bringing the weapon close to her chest, pointing the blade at the Sith before igniting her lightsaber again. The pink blade went right between his eyes. 

It was a move she learned while brainwashed; she had no idea how she knew that.

Major Jon helped the Jedi to her feet. “What did we miss?” Removing her helmet Adrestia saw that the major was a fellow Cathar.

“There are four bombs I have to defuse before they blow up, killing everything on this planet and sending a shock wave to destroy entire systems.”

Nivah arched a brow but nodded. “Right. Jorgan, standard grid formation, between the four of us we ought to be able to defuse all the bombs in time.”

“Yes, sir.”

Adrestia looked over to spy a solid grey male Cathar before a flashing light drew her eye.

“Teeseven!” Adrestia cried.

Teeseven beeped at her before rolling away at top speed.** :T7 = found bomb// Jedi + Havoc Squad = hurry!:**

The three Cathar nodded at each other, each sprinting off in a different direction.

“Done!” Major Jon shouted.

“Done!” Jorgan shouted.

Teesven beeped that it was done.

“Done!” Adrestia shouted back.

They all formed a cluster at the entrance.

“How did you know I was down here?” Adrestia looked up at the two soldiers. 

“A Pak Taldine called it in.” Major Jon stated, studying the Jedi. “Name’s Nivah.” Offering her hand.

“Adrestia.” Adrestia decided she liked the woman.

“This is Captain Aric Jorgan.” Nivah introduced the male Cathar.

“Hello, Captain Jorgan.” Adrestia waved nervously. 

A sob breaking from Aric’s throat, he yanked Adrestia into a bone crushing hug.

“Eeep!” Adrestia found her face pressed into the chestplate of durasteel armor.

“Aric! Let the girl breath!” Nivah rolled her eyes.

Teeseven whirred in indignation.

“Ow!” Aric dropped his arms, taking a step back and rubbing his foot.

“Teeseven, that wasn’t very nice.” Adrestia told the droid seeing that it had its shock probe out.

**:Random soldiers + hug + Jedi = not done// Random soldier = rude.:**

Nivah laughed, bent over. “Ooooo, Aric, you made a droid mad!”

Aric glared at his CO, rubbing his foot. “How did I feel that through my boot?”

**:T7 = very strong shock probe// Shock probe = good for discipline.:**

Nivah stuffed a hand in her mouth, laughing harder.

“Sorry.” Adrestia glared at the droid. “He’s a little overprotective.”

“I can see that.” Aric glared one last time at Teeseven before turning his attention back to Adrestia.

Adrestia saw how intensely Aric stared at her. How his body tensed up, how he looked like he was about to cry. “Do you know me, Captain Jorgan?”

“I knew your mother.” Aric swallowed thickly.

“How?” She took an eager step forward; she had always wanted to meet somebody that knew her mother.

“She was my older sister.”

#

“So, your XO is my boss’ uncle.” Doc side-eyed Nivah.

“Yep.” Nivah took a drink of her beer. Out of Adrestia’s entire crew, the major only liked Teeseven and Kira.

“Interesting.” Doc slid closer.

“Not interesting.” Nivah’s switchblade that she kept in a cuff on her wrist popped out.

Doc backed away. “Just making conversation.”

“Uhuh.”

#

Torian listened to Soggeva’s braying laugh. This was becoming a habit. One he honestly didn’t care about. The one thing that he had to keep the Twi’lek at bay was gone.

Addy was dead. What was the point of rebuffing Soggeva’s advances now?

“Torian!” Soggeva plopped herself in his lap, manicured fingers tracing his jaw, “Kiss me.”

She didn’t give him time to say no because suddenly her lips were on his. When her tongue shoved into his mouth he gagged.

“Soggeva, did you vomit?” He broke the kiss.

“No.” She laughed. “Although I was making out with a Rattakkai a few minutes ago.”

Torian stood, Soggeva falling onto the floor. “I’m going out.”

Soggeva’s yells followed him all the way outside.


	10. Chapter 10

She was better; talking to Uncle Aric made Adrestia better.

“Are you going to tell on her?” Lord Scourge asked Kira as the two watched Adrestia talk over holo to Aric.

“Tell who what?” Kira looked at the Sith.

“The Council that your former Master is forming an emotional attachment.” Lord Scourge thought Kira’s and Adrestia’s relationship was fascinating.

Kira treated Adrestia like a younger sister yet Adrestia was the Master.

“Wow, you really know nothing about us, do you?” Kira snorted. “Like I’m going to take away the one thing that’s making her feel better.” Rolling her eyes, she walked away. 

Lord Scourge frowned at Kira before turning his level gaze back to Adrestia.

#

“I think I like Voss.” Adrestia muttered.

Voss was calm. Nobody was in a hurry, there were no sounds of speeder horns or battle. Just calm. The people of Voss were also calm, highly rational, very literal. There was no lying. It was refreshing not to be lied to or brown-nosed just because she was a Jedi. She had to literally earn the respect of the Voss and it was wonderful.

**:T7 = like Voss too// Voss = interesting people.:**

She smiled down at her friend. “I wish Uncle Aric was here.” But Aric had already been and gone to Voss.

Teeseven beeped in agreement.

“Addy?”

Adrestia turned so quickly she stumbled. Stumbled right into the arms of Torian. “Torian?”

#

Torian was bored. He and Soggeva had gotten into yet another fight about what it meant to be in a relationship, and she stormed off with Skadge in tow. 

Not that Torian minded. Soggeva was not the ideal girlfriend by any standards.

Sighing, he leaned against a wall in the square. Here he could watch people walking past; Jedi, Republic troopers, Sith Intelligence, Sith, he thought he saw a smuggler too.

Voss was interesting and if given half the chance, Torian would go hunt some of the monstrous animals the planet boasted.

A female figure in a dark pink outfit with navy accents walked past talking to an astromech droid. And she looked familiar.

Frowning, Torian decided to follow the pair. Drawing closer and closer, the more he was convinced he knew them.

“I wish Uncle Aric was here.” She told her droid.

And recognition hit. “Addy?”

Adrestia turned so quickly she stumbled, but Torian was there to catch her.

“Torian?” She gazed up at him in amazement, her fingers almost touching his face before her eyes skittered away and she started chewing her bottom lip.

Torian didn’t know what to say or do. So, he did the first thing that came to his mind. He kissed her. 

Hand cupping the back of her head, Torian crashed his lips onto hers. Relieved when her hands wrapped around the back of his head instead of shoving him away.

Teeseven whirring angrily caused the kiss to break up.

“No need to threaten to shock people, Teeseven.” Adrestia was out of breath, her lips swollen from Torian’s kiss.

“I thought you were dead.” Torian pulled her to his chest. “I’m so damn glad you’re not.”

It took her a few seconds, but she hugged him back, her arms wrapped just as tightly around him as his were wrapped around hers. 


	11. Chapter 11

Torian couldn’t believe it. Addy was alive. Alive and in his arms and she smelled fantastic.

“Where have you been?” He whispered. He felt her stiffen before she pushed away. “You don’t have to tell me.”

She relaxed but the tightness in her face lingered, the frown on her lips, the manic depression in her eyes. “Uhh, I have to go.”

“Addy?” Torian didn’t want to let her go.

“I have to go, Torian.” Tears gathered in the corner of Adrestia’s eyes. “I can’t, uh. I just can’t.”

Wrenching herself from his arms, she turned to flee, his hand on her wrist stopping her.

“Addy?” He asked again. What was wrong?

“Please, let me go!” She whimpered, black lightning crackled over her arm, causing Torian to cry out in pain as it electrocuted him. Gasping in horror, Addrestia ran. “I’m sorry!” Thrown over her shoulder as she fled.

Torian watched, dumbstruck, as Addy ran from him, Teeseven hot on her heels. “Addy?”

#

Adrestia never wanted to see Torian ever again. She never wanted to leave the room she was in. She wanted to stay on Voss forever.

“Tia?” Kira knocked on the door. “Dinner is ready.”

Adrestia sniffed and buried her face deeper into the pillow clutched to her chest to stifle her sobs.

“Maybe she’s asleep?” Doc’s voice was muffled by the door.

“Could be.” Kira’s voice agreed. “She’s been exhausted lately.”

Adrestia heard Kira and Doc move away from the door.

“Leave me alone.” Adrestia whispered, tears running down her cheeks to soak into her pillow.

Finally, having cried herself past exhaustion, sleep took her.

#

Torian stared at the window belonging to the room Aadrestia was staying in. It wasn’t difficult finding her in the Republic section of Voss-ka. A Cathar Jedi wearing pink running and crying? And once he explained what a Cathar was, the helpful Voss not only pointed at the building but even at her exact window.

Torian loved the Voss. Oddly helpful people, if a bit abrupt and literal.

“Addy!” He tossed a pebble at her window. “Psst! Addy!”

The last time he had threw rocks at a woman’s window he was seven and he’d been dared to by Corridan. The result was not pleasant. Torian hoped that Addy at least wouldn’t tackle him then make him eat mud.

“Addy!” He tossed another pebble.

#

Adrestia woke to the sound of something pecking her window. Grunting, she waved her hand, opening it. Maybe whatever it was that was pecking at her window would fly in, figure out the room has no food then fly away again.

Rolling over, she went back to sleep.

#

Torian was about to toss another rock when the window opened. He waited, poised to flee, but when Addy didn’t stick her head out of the window, he moved closer.

“Addy?”

She didn’t reply. Maybe she opened the window so he could enter her room? 

After all, a Jedi and a Mandalorian seen talking to each other through a window was a huge deal.

Shrugging, Torian took a few steps back, gauging how much space and speed he needed to jump to the window.

“Rangir!” Torian shook his head, no time for regrets now.

Running, he leapt and on the first try, his fingers grabbed the windowsill. Perfect.

“Addy?” He leveraged himself up. Peeking into the window, the room was dark and he couldn’t make out anything. “Addy?” He climbed up to the window ledge, perched there, waiting for her to respond. “Addy?” Was this even the right room?

Frowning, turning to go, he felt two hands fist in his shirt before yanking him into the room, a hand clamped over his mouth and two glowing grey eyes flashing above him.

“Torian!” Adrestia hissed. “What are you doing here?”

#

It wasn’t until the sound of boots on her windowsill that Adrestia realized that it hadn’t been pecking at her window but somebody purposely tossing pebbles at it.

Sitting up, she watched her window, seeing the figure in her window was a male but the bright light behind him made it hard for her to make out his face.

“Addy?”

Relief coursed through her. Torian.

Getting a facetious idea, Adrestia bit her lip to keep from giggling.

“Addy?” Torian sounded less sure now.

His face falling, he turned to go, but Adrestia wasn’t about to let him, reaching out, she grabbed his shirt, yanking him into the room and onto the bed.

“Torian!” She hissed. “What are you doing here?”

He blinked up at her in surprise.

She lost it, snorting in laughter, her head falling to his shoulder.

“That’s not funny.” Torian frowned up at her.

Adrestia giggled again. “Disagreed.”

Sighing, Torian sat up, taking her with him. He let her giggle into his shoulder.

“Addy.” He sighed again, looking up at the ceiling.

“Sorry.” Another giggle before she composed herself. “Sorry. But I just **_had_** to!”

“Did you?” He listened as she giggled again. “Well, as long as you’re feeling better.” He felt her face, tucking a strand of mane behind her ear, the light coming in from the open window allowing him to see a little bit of her face.

Her laughter died abruptly. “Why are you here, Torian?”

His fingers lingered on her cheek. “I was worried.” It sounded stupid now. She was a Jedi, what right did he have to worry about her?

“You were?” 

A strange look came to her eyes. “Yes.” He swallowed thickly. “I got your letter.”

“Oh.” She looked down and away.

Torian wondered if that was what she did when embarrassed and he realized he would love to know everything about her. What she did when she was embarrassed, her favorite food, favorite color. He already knew what she sounded like when just awoken but he wanted to know what she sounded like when falling asleep.

“Addy,” he licked his lips, his fingers traced her scar across her lips, “why did you send me that letter?”

“I didn’t want to have any regrets.”

“What does that mean?” Her lips were so soft against his thumb.

“I don’t know.”

The conversation died, the two of them staring into each other’s eyes, each trying to figure out the truth.

“Torian, why are you really here?” Adrestia searched his face, her grey eyes intensely staring into his green ones.

“I was worried. You said you were dead, Addy, then you show up on Voss.” He pressed his forehead against hers, his hands on her cheeks. “I was relieved when I saw you, but you ran off crying.” He looked at her. “Was seeing me really that bad? That embarrassing after the letter?”

“No.” Her voice was whisper soft, dripping with sadness. “You asked where I was.”

“You don’t have to talk about it. All that matters is you’re alive.” That was all that mattered to him. Her past was her past. He only cared about her future.

“I felt like I was dead.” She said, monotonous. “I lost ten months of my life.”

“Frozen in carbonite?” How had he not heard that a Jedi was captured and used as wall art for ten months?

“I wish. It would’ve been better.” Taking a deep breath, she scooted away from him, her back against the wall, knees brought up to her chest. 

Torian waited, it was the least he could do.

“I lost ten months. I don’t have any memory of ten months of my life.” A watery laugh followed that pronouncement. “There are moments where I use a fighting technique or move that I didn’t know from before that ten-month period and I wish I knew what happened.”

Torian pulled her into his arms, his mother taught him that when you didn’t know what to say, a hug usually helped. A few seconds into the hug he felt her shoulders shaking. A few seconds later his shirt was damp from her tears.


	12. Chapter 12

Torian listened as Addy slept on his shoulder. She cried herself to sleep in his arms.

His holo was vibrating, insistently. He knew it was Soggeva and he didn’t care. 

“Torian?” Adrestia woke flinching, shrinking in on herself.

“It’s my holo.” Torian explained, tossing it to the other side of the room after turning it off. Soggeva can nar’sheb*. 

He turned back to see her looking at him.

“You’re still here.” She sounded relieved.

He froze at the stark relief in her eyes. “Where else would I be?”

Her response was to sigh and close her eyes, nuzzling him, a purr beginning to vibrate.

“Addy, why do you trust me?” He read that Cathar only purred around people they trusted.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Why? Is this some convoluted ploy to capture me?” Her laugh sounded hollow.

Scoffing, he yanked her mane. “No.”

She giggled and ran a clawed hand through his hair. “Good. Because it’s a horrible plan.”

“I don’t know, it seems like a great plan.” He started scratching her scalp. “Befriend you, get you to trust me, ultimate betrayal, bam! You’re a lovely wall deco.”

A half-hearted growl rumbled in her chest. “You realize I can scent duplicity, right?”

“You can?” He asked, skeptical arch to his eyebrows.

She nodded, stretching into his still scratching hand. “Sure can. Scent emotions too.”

He narrowed his eyes and studied her. “What am I feeling right now?”

Scrunching up her face, she took a deep breath. “Like you want to kiss me.”

His eyes narrowed more. “That’s not a feeling.”

“Yes, it is. It’s a type of lust which is an emotion.” She wasn’t blinking as she stared at him. 

“What do you want?” He swallowed, he felt like prey caught in a hunter’s sights.

“This.” Her hand snaking around his neck, she pulled herself up, kissing him.

The kiss was hesitant, unsure. She didn’t know what to do, but she knew what she wanted. Torian thanked his experience -limited though it be, it was still more than Adrestia. A hand sliding into her mane, the other hand sliding to her lower back, he pulled her more on top of him, deepened the kiss with a flick of his tongue across the seam of her lips.

She mewled, her claws pricking his skin when Torian dipped his tongue in her mouth.

He took it slow. Adrestia deserved to be worshipped and he wanted to make her second kiss - he didn’t count the one in the square - as enjoyable as her first.

Moaning, she straddled him, her hands on Torian’s shoulders. She gasped into his mouth, when the hand on her lower back moved to grab her ass.

Growling low in her throat, Adrestia ran her tongue along his, darting it in and out of his mouth.

It was Torian’s turn to moan. This was kissing. Not whatever Soggeva forced him to do.

When Adrestia caught his tongue between her teeth and she started lightly sucking it, Torian rolled them over, her on her back and him between her legs.

“Addy!” He broke the kiss, panting. “We can’t do this.”

Adrestia panted, gazing up at him with passion glazed eyes. “Do what?”

Chuckling breathlessly, he collapsed on her, his laughter muffled by the bed. “You’re really innocent, are you sure you're an adult?”

As understanding hit, Adrestia bucked him off her, rolling away from him, she stalked to the door. 

“I am an adult!” She hissed, body crackling with the same black lightning as before. “Just because I don’t know about certain things doesn’t mean I’m a child!”

Torian blinked at her. He hadn’t meant to insult her. “Addy,” he approached her with hands out, palms up, “I meant no offense, but most people know what kissing leads to.”

“I’m not most people.” She was violently shaking she was so livid. Her sight tinged with red and black, she felt as if she was about to explode.

“Addy,” his hand wrapped around her wrist, he flinched as her lightning burned and crackled up his arm, but he wasn’t going to let her go, “I’m sorry.” His hand began stroking her neck and cheek, he read that it was a way to calm a Cathar down. He hoped it worked. “I’m sorry. Please.” He placed a quick kiss on her forehead. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

His words and the motion of his hands must’ve been working, because the lightning slowly dissipated, her face tucked against his chest.

“Did I hurt you?” She asked despondently, voice close to tears.

“No.” He lied.

“Yes, I did. I’ve hurt you twice now on accident.”

“Addy,” Torian angled her face so he could catch her eyes, “I’ll live, it’s not the most painful thing I’ve ever been through.”

She studied him. “Torian, how did your nose get broken.” She touched his nose delicately, fingers feeling the shape of his nose.

Eyes widening, he asked, “How did you know my nose has been broken?”

“I noticed something was different about your face on Hoth.” She frowned. “Cathar are very observant. It’s a species trait. It’s why we make great snipers.” Her fingers fell, lingering on his lips. “How did it get broken?”

“The woman I travel with-” 

“The one that left you to die.”

“Yeah, her, she broke my nose because I did something she didn’t like. I disobeyed her in the field.”

“Was it a life or death situation when you disobeyed her?”

“No.”

Adrestia growled, snarling her lip, eyes flashing, claws pricking into Torian’s skin through his shirt. “Where is she?”

“What?”

“Where is this shabuir*? Tell me.” A growl rumbled in her throat as she talked.

Torian’s jaw dropped. “You know what shabuir means?”

“It means asshole or something equally mean. The definition was vague.” Adrestia frowned. Yanking on his sleeve she ordered, “Take me to her.”

Torian shook his head. “You’re adorable.” He pulled her into a hug.

“What?”

“Why do you know Mando’a?” He grinned down at her.

“Because I wanted to know what you said to me on Hoth and there was a guide to Mandalorian vocabulary in the archives. Did I say the word correctly?” She bit her bottom lip, suddenly unsure and nervous.

“You said it perfectly.” Cupping her cheeks, he kissed her again.

She opened her mouth automatically this time, her tongue pushing their way past his lips. Moaning, Torian pushed her against the wall, his hand pinning her wrists to the wall, the other hand wrapping one of her legs around his waist. Adrestia learned Mando’a. Not even Soggeva bothered to remember the words between sessions. 

Mewling low in her throat, Adrestia wiggled her wrists out of Torian’s grip, her hands encircling his neck, claws raking down his skull and fisting in his hair. When his hips flexed against hers, she nipped at his bottom lip, drawing a droplet of blood.

“Sorry!” She gasped, tongue darting out to lick the blood away before she sucked the still bleeding lip into her mouth, the taste of his blood sweet and salty on her tongue. She moaned again, her hips flexing against his.

Torian’s eyes crossed. Adrestia sucking on his lip while her tongue laved the cut her teeth caused was a massive turn on. Without thinking, he ground against her, rolling his hips against her center. At her hips rolling against his, he wrapped her other leg around his waist, his hands untucking her shirt, lifting it up so he could feel her fur.

His fingers grazed her stomach, feeling every beautifully furry inch of her abdomen, the hardened ripcord muscles softened by the softest fur. Moaning, Torian deepened the kiss when he felt her fingers whisper across his stomach.

“Addy!” He nibbled to her ear, biting the tip and reveling at her gasp of pleasure, “is this what you want?” Her tongue on his neck had his rolling his hips again, harder, his hands on her hips holding her still. “Lose your virginity to me?”

Adrestia looked deep into his eyes. He wanted to have sex with her. Wanted to fuck her, but he was stopping to see if this was what she wanted. “Yes. This is what I want.”

She didn’t want to have regrets. And she might die later. The entire galaxy might die. She didn’t want to die without having this moment with Torian.

Stealing her lips in a needy kiss, Torian lifted her into his arms, carrying her back to the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nar’sheb- shove it but meaner. i feel like it's a "fuck off" in Mando'a
> 
> shabuir- jerk but meaner, like asshole i think
> 
> http://mandoa.org/


	13. Chapter 13

Adrestia could get used to Torian’s weight pressing her into a mattress. She could get used to it quickly.

“Mesh’la*.” Torian kissed down her neck, hands sliding up her shirt, over her fur. “Bid mesh’la!”

Adrestia shivered at his breath on her neck, his hands on her stomach, his words in her ear. She didn’t know what he was saying but it sounded reverent. 

She gasped when he licked her neck before sucking the skin over her pulse. “Ngh!”

Sucking on her neck, his hands started working on the ties to her shirt. “Rala nu anura gar.” He kissed back to her mouth, peeling off her shirt, his hands petting her arms, shoulders, her stomach.

Adrestia arched into him, her tongue licking his neck as he removed the last vestiges of her shirt. “Torian?”

“Bid mesh’la.” He breathed it again, hungrily gazing down at her naked torso. Her perfect breasts, not noticing the fur that covered everything but her nipples. Groaning, he started kissing and licking her neck again, his hands working on the fastenings of her pants. At least he didn’t have to worry about boots.

Adrestia’s breath hitched when Torian broke away from her long enough to strip her pants. 

Once again, his hungry gaze over her body. She stamped down the urge to cover herself with her hands the longer he stared at her.

“Addy, gar cuyir bid mesh’la.” Torian swallowed. She really was. He knew under her grey fur lurked the well-defined muscles of a warrior. His mouth watered at the thought of tasting every single inch of her body.

Adrestia watched as he descended once more, his lips and teeth on her neck, a hand fondling a breast, another on her hip. Stuffing a hand in her mouth, she moaned. While Lord Scourge was on the ship due to safety reasons, she didn’t want Kira or Doc to overhear her.

Torian kept reminding himself to take it slow. Adrestia deserved to be worshipped. And Corridan’s advice kept intruding. 

Adrestia wouldn’t be the only one losing their virginity. Torian spent his life waiting; for honor, for the perfect woman. And he found her. But he couldn’t be hasty. Corridan said that a guy’s first time wasn’t special; warned Torian that he wouldn’t last long once he finally entered Adrestia. Corridan told Torian, in detail, what to do to make sure that any woman’s first time was pleasurable. Torian was never gladder of the late night talks and detail Corridan described about sex than he was at this moment.

“Torian!” Adrestia keened. “Let me feel you against my fur!” She needed to feel him against her.

“Asas gar vercopa!” Torian knelt on the bed, watching Adrestia as he pulled his shirt off, heard her gasp as she finally saw his scarred torso, all the hunting and battle scars. 

Adrestia had never seen a torso so scarred before. She wanted to ask how he received every single one but then one on his abdomen, the newest looking one caught her gaze. 

“Taris.” Her fingers touched the scar gently. She saved him. Looking up she saw him watching her, waiting for her disgust or whatever she was supposed to be feeling. She felt none. “Torian!” She yanked his head in for a kiss, pulling his on top of her as she lowered herself onto her back, a leg wrapped around his still clothed hips.

Torian moaned when he felt her fur against his skin. Shivering in need, he helped her unbuckle and remove his pants.

“Addy,” He kissed his way to her ear, a hand going between her legs, “you aren’t the only one losing your virginity.” He looked in her eyes, his fingers dancing over her folds. “I will make this good for you.”

Adrestia growled, rolling her hips, wanting Torian to touch her more. “I trust you.” She cupped his cheek.

His fingers delved into her folds the same time he sucked a nipple into his mouth. Keening, Adrestia arched into him, her hands spasming around his skull, holding his face to her.

“Yes!” She panted, sparks dancing before her eyes.

Torian sucked and laved her nipple, a thumb teasing her clit while two fingers teased her entrance. Corridan said he’d have to stretch a virgin and two fingers were good. Torian worked one finger into her, feeling her tight channel gripping the digit. Moving to her other breast with his mouth, his free hand pinching the nipple he just abandoned, Torian slipped two fingers into her. She was wet and hot. He couldn’t wait to be enveloped but he had to. He had to make this good for her.

“Addy,” He whispered against her fur, “tengaanar ni.”

Adrestia felt a tension building in her body the longer Torian teased her. A wave began to build over her skin, her core wrapping tighter and tighter around a ball of want and need.

Torian felt her channel beginning to clench. She was about to orgasm. Nipple popping out of his mouth he lifted his head to watch her come undone.

“Cyar’ika, olaror par ni!” Torian rasped, watching her face, his fingers earnestly pumping in and out of her, thumb circling her clit.

At his words, the cord inside Adrestia snapped, her cry of completion muffled by her fist in her mouth.

Panting, chest heaving, bones pleasantly lethargic, she came back to herself with Torian kissing and caressing any part of her he could reach, muttering words and phrases in Mando’a against her skin.

“Torian?” She gazed at him through glazed eyes.

“Cyar’ika?” Torian kissed and nipped his way back to her mouth. “How do you feel?”

Adrestia’s response was to purr and pull him in for a sated kiss. 

“Is that good?” He asked, smiling, petting her cheek.

“Mmmhmm.” She stretched, claws scratching his scalp. Nuzzling his chest, she purred harder breathing in his scent. “But what about you?”

“What about me?” Torian was fascinated by her mane. 

“I thought two people were supposed to lose their virginities.” She grinned shyly up at him.

Kissing her, he shook his head. “We both have yet to do that. I was only making sure you enjoyed yourself first since when a female loses her virginity, it’s not very pleasant.”

Adrestia nuzzled his face, licking his neck. “I’m sure there’s a way for it not to hurt.”

Torian searched her face. Such open trust he saw there. “There is.” Placing one last kiss on her lips, he sat up, back pressed to the wall, legs out before him. “Straddle me.”

Adrestia tilted her head to the side and did as ordered, gasping when she felt Torian’s cock against her stomach. It was soft yet hard.

“Murcyur ni.” A hand slid to her waist, the other into her mane, he angled his face up.

Adrestia tilted her head to the side, her gaze falling to his lips. Reading context clues, she kissed him. Her hands on the back of his skull and neck.

Torian flicked his tongue across her lips, begging for entrance, when her mouth opened giving him permission, his tongue swept in, the hand on her hip sliding to grab her ass as he ground against her.

Her moan of pleasure was swallowed by his mouth.

The kiss was endless, his cock poking relentlessly against her stomach, her nipples grazing his chest each time either of them took a breath.

“Torian!” Adrestia gasped, clutching his head when his hand yanked her head to the side, opening her neck up for his ministrations. “Please!” Her hips flexed, wringing a wanton gasp from both.

“Cyar’ika,” Torian nibbled her neck, his hands positioning her hips, his dick at her entrance, “lower yourself slowly onto me.” This was a gamble, it could still hurt, but this was a way for her to be in control.

Adrestia nodded, biting her lip she lowered herself just enough for his dick to slide a little inside her. Eyes snapping open at the sensation she locked gazes with Torian. It felt wonderful, she felt so full already. Wanting more, she lowered herself a little bit more. More fullness, more sensations causing her fur to stand on end and her body to shiver.

“Ngh!” Repositioning herself, she slid the rest of the way down, flinching when she felt him push past a barrier inside her, but he was fully inside her. Her mouth opened at being so full. “Mff.” She grunted.

Torian’s hands gripped her mane, his eyes rolling into the back of his head when he was finally fully inside her. “Cyar’ika!” He gasped, stealing her lips in a needy kiss. “Ni ganar kar’taylir gar oyar’u!”

Adrestia had no idea what Torian gasped only that it filled her with joy. Growling wantonly, she rolled her hips, purring at the sensation. She was still adjusting to him being inside her, so she rolled her hips again.

“Addy!” Torian broke the kiss to whisper in Mando’a in her ear, his hands guiding her hips at a slightly faster pace.

She gasped, heading lolling back at the increased pace, loving it. “Ngh! Torian!”

Grabbing his face, she yanked him in for a desperate kiss. The tension was building again. 

His hands grasping her hips, he lifted her part way off him before slamming her back down fully onto his length. “Like this, cyar’ika.” He nipped at her lip.

Mewling, hands on his shoulders for leverage, Adrestia lifted herself, keening at the sensation of Torian’s dick sliding almost out of her before she pushed him back inside. 

Growling, pressing his face to her neck, she rode him, motions slow and sensual, her need to draw out the sensation making it more pleasurable.

“Torian!” The cord was about to snap again. “Please!”

“Anything!” Torian answered her. He didn’t know what Adrestia needed, only that he’d provide it.

Slamming down one last time, Adrestia snarled, biting into Torian’s neck, orgasming at the pop of his skin beneath her teeth.

Torian saw stars, felt a current along his skin, and a shiver crawl up his spine seconds before Adrestia bit into him. It was painful when her teeth sank into his flesh but that was quickly overridden by his own orgasm, on reflex, he bit into her neck as well, his cry of completion muffled by her neck.

“Jate’kara.” Torian whispered. Destiny. He never believed in it until now. Adrestia was his destiny.

“Hmm?” She purred as she licked the blood off his neck.

“Just a realization, cyar’ika.” He placed a gentle kiss on her neck.

She purred again, nuzzling his face. 

Softly pulling her mane, he angled her face for a kiss. The kiss was sweet, full of promise and hope.

“Are you tired?” He noticed there was exhaustion in her sated and glazed eyes.

“Mmhmm.” She stretched, pressing herself against him.

Torian chuckled breathlessly. “Sleep then.”

Tenderly, he helped Adrestia climb off him, noting how she winced but not too badly.

“You’ll stay until I wake up?” She asked against his neck once they entwined in each other’s arms.

“Of course.” He covered their naked bodies with the blanket. “Ni ganar kar’taylir gar oyar’u, Addy.” Torian murmured against her forehead.

She yawned, nuzzling closer to him, purring her satisfaction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bunch of Words and phrases in Mando'a
> 
> Mesh’la -beautiful
> 
> Bid mesh'la - so beautiful
> 
> Rala nu anura gar - let me worship you
> 
> gar cuyir bid mesh’la - you are so beautiful
> 
> Asas gar vercopa - as you wish
> 
> tengaanar ni -show me
> 
> Cyar’ika, olaror par ni - darling, come for me
> 
> Cyar’ika -sweetheart, darling
> 
> Murcyur ni - kiss me
> 
> Ni ganar kar’taylir gar oyar’u - I'd know you forever
> 
> Jate’kara -destiny
> 
> http://mandoa.org/
> 
> http://starwars.myrpg.org/coruscant_translator.php


	14. Chapter 14

Torian woke giggling and with something tickling his side and torso.

“Oh! That tickles you.” Adrestia purred in delight and went right back to doing what she was doing.

Torian snorted and relaxed. It was just Adrestia. “What are you doing?” Sighing, reveling in her touch. 

“I’m exploring.” She sounded sheepish. “I didn’t really get to earlier.” 

He popped and eye open to stare at her biting her lip and looking away from him. Torian surprised himself, he knew that action meant she was embarrassed. “Explore away.”

He laid full on his back, hands going behind his head. He smirked when Adrestia’s eyes widened in anticipation.

“I’ve never seen anybody as scarred as you.” She stared quietly. “Hoth was too cold to risk taking you out of your kute*.” She glanced at him to see if she said the Mandalorian word correctly, at his nod she smiled slightly and continued. “I had to heal you and trust there weren’t any injuries I couldn’t see.” A hand whispered across his hip, fingers grazing one of his many scars there. “Are some of them from fighting Jedi?”

Torian shook his head. “None are from fighting Jedi. Before I met you, I didn’t want to fight them because I knew I wasn’t warrior enough.”

“And after meeting me?” She studied him from the corner of her eyes, fingers lingering on the scar he got from Taris.

“I didn’t want to risk killing a friend.” He blushed. 

Another purr began as she chirped at him. “Not all Jedi know each other.” She giggled. “Do all Mandalorians know each other?”

“Well, yeah, my brain is filled with fighting techniques, rifle safety, where the best places to hunt gundark are, and clearly all the names of every single Mandalorian in the galaxy.”

“Oh, you have jokes.” She scrunched her face at him.

Flashing a grin, he yanked her into a quick kiss. The kiss was anything but quick. Moaning, Torian flipped Adrestia onto her back. 

“Addy,” kissing down her neck, hands on her knees, spreading her legs, “Are you too sore?” He’d be perfectly fine with her being sore. Corridan gave Torian advice on what to do to please women after the loss of virginity and it didn’t involve Torian’s dick. Plus, if he was honest, he wanted to know what Adrestia tasted like. 

“Are you too sore?” Her hands were already on his shoulders, legs around his waist.

Chuckling he kissed her shoulder. “It doesn’t work like that for men.”

Adrestia pouted. “Lame.”

He hummed agreement against her fur. “Are you though?”

“No.” She shook her head. “My body heals itself when I sleep.” Running her hands through his hair, she nipped at his shoulder. “Perks of using the Force.”

“I feel a great deal of jealousy right now.” He narrowed his eyes and glared playfully at her.

“I can heal you.” Adrestia smiled at him. “It no longer feels like you’re being burned alive. Or so Kira told me the other day.”

“What’s it feel like now?” Because when Adrestia healed him on Taris was almost worse than being tortured on Hoth.

“Like you’re being cut with tiny knives.” 

She answered so hopefully Torian burst into laughter, burying his face in her neck. 

“That is slightly better.” He agreed, hand sliding into her mane.

“Mmmhmmm. I’m getting better.” Grinning up at him, Adrestia pulled him in for another kiss.

Kissing her reminded Torian of his original intentions. Hands firmly on her hips, holding her still, he slid into her, moaning as her heat enveloped him. A little part of him knew sex only felt this fantastic with Adrestia.

“Ngh!” Her claws raked down his back.

“Addy, I’d know you forever.” He grabbed her face, turning her head so their eyes locked.

Gasping, arching into him, Adrestia met him thrust for thrust.

#

“Is that your holo ringing?” Doc asked absently.

Kira frowned and dug her holo out of her bag. “Hello?”

“Where’s Tia?” Aric Jorgan frowned over the holo.

“She’s sleeping.” Kira exchanged looks with Doc. Aric Jorgan was the grumpiest person either of them had ever met. Plus, he was like a mama nexu over Adrestia.

Aric narrowed his eyes. “Why isn’t she answering her holo?”

“Uhhhh, she isn’t?” Doc scratched the back of his head.

Aric growled, crossing his arms. “Let me speak to my niece. Now.”

“Alrighty then!” Doc was already out of the room and down the hall. “Tia?” He knocked on Adrestia’s room. “Your scary uncle in on holo for you.” There was nothing. “Tia?” Doc heard a muffled moan of pleasure coming from Adrestia’s room. “Right. I did not just hear that.” He knocked on the door again. “I’ll just tell him you’ll call him back later, ok?” He called through the door. 

#

Torian thought Adrestia beneath him was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen.

“Bid meshla.” He rasped in her ear, quickening his pace, pushing her to the edge, his hand fisting in her mane.

A throaty growl escaped her throat, her breath hitching, claws digging into his back. “Torian! Now!” 

Once again, he bared his neck to her, offering it up, a supplicant to her temple, angling his head so he could bite her when she bit him.

Simultaneously, they bit each other, jaws latching onto necks, cries of completion eked out around mouthfuls of skin.

Panting, Torian kissed his way back to her mouth. “I think somebody knocked on the door.”

She nodded. “Doc. My crew medic.” Her hands began petting Torian’s back and sides. “What’s ‘bid meshla’ mean?”

“So beautiful.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “You are. So beautiful, Addy.”

She looked away, biting her lip. “You are too, Torian.”

Chuckling, her wrapped her in his arms again. “I’ve never been called beautiful before.”

“Me neither.” Sighing, her hand ran down his arm then cuddled. 

“That’s so sad.” He pressed a kiss to her mane, pulling her closer. “I’d call you beautiful every day.”

Purring, Adrestia licked his chest. “Thanks, but Jedi aren’t supposed to be beautiful.”

“What are they supposed to be?” He brought a hank of her mane up to his nose to smell. She smelled fantastic. He wondered if it was her shampoo since he knew she didn’t wear perfume. Maybe it was just her; her natural scent.

“Austere, cold, pillars of stone.” She shrugged. “It’s hard to explain to people that aren’t Jedi.” A shiver crawled up her spine, forcing her to clutch at Torian. “It’s not a place for warmth.”

“I don’t know, you feel awfully warm to me.” He whispered into her ear, scratching her hip.

Purring, Adrestia nipped at his chin. “How warm?”

His eyes heated, his hand trailing down her side to enter her folds. “Really warm.”

A current coursed over her skin, her claws pricking his skin. “We just finished.”

“Your point?” Torian yanked her face in for a kiss. “Tengaanar ni, Addy.”

She mewled as he kissed and nipped his way down her body. “Torian?” Her eyes rolled into the back of her head when she felt his teeth and tongue on her inner thigh. “What are you-” her question cut off, turned into a moan when she felt his tongue dart out and flick her clit. “Ngh!”

Torian wished he could purr like Adrestia could. But he had to settle for a moan of pleasure. She tasted fantastic. And the scent wafting from her. It was like the finest of spices. Almost hetikless* but not food.

Torian would have to punch Corridan the next time the two hung out. Corridan had said this action was disgusting but an act that must be done to show proper appreciation. It wasn’t disgusting. It was glorious.

An idea began to take root the longer Torian laved Adrestia’s clit. He began tracing the Mando’a alphabet with his lips and tongue. Adrestia bucked against his face when he got to the letter ‘C’.

#

“And you said you overheard what noise?” Kira asked Doc.

“I heard a moan of pleasure.” Doc felt very uncomfortable having this conversation. Adrestia, once he realized exactly how innocent she was - very odd for a warrior- fell to the little sister part of Doc’s brain.

“You sure it was a moan and not her flute dying?” Kira asked, arching an eyebrow.

Adrestia, despite lack of talent, loved playing the Cathar flute. She wasn’t horrible, but she wasn’t very good at it. But it calmed her down and Aric gave it to her that last time uncle and niece spent time together. The flute had belonged to Adrestia’s mother.

Adrestia played it whenever she wanted to meditate without actually meditating. The good news was she was getting better at the musical instrument. The bad news was her crew had to put up with what sounded like a turtle dying of some form of farting disease while she learned.

Doc nodded. “I’m sure. It was definitely a sexual noise, babe. I know what I heard.” While Adrestia was Doc’s little sister, Kira was his little sister’s best friend and thus just as open to Doc’s protective streak and his teasing.

Kira frowned at both his assurance and the nickname. “But why would she be making that noise?”

Doc shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t think you Jedi could.”

Kira flicked her wrist and a random pillow came flying from out of nowhere to knock Doc on the side of his head.

“Wow. Hurtful.” Doc stated.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

#

Adrestia could feel a mild current along her skin and the cord in her middle winding tighter and tighter the more Torian licked and sucked her clit.

“Torian!” Her hips ground against his face. “Please!”

Without thinking, Torian lifted his hand to her mouth, tapping her lips with his fingers. He knew by now that when Adrestia said ‘please’ it meant she needed to bite him, to sink her teeth into his flesh, and he was willing to lose some fingers. Shoving two fingers into her, he scraped his teeth across her clit.

She came, the current over her skin making his hair stand on end and causing his to shiver, her teeth sinking into his fingers. 

Kissing her thigh, he made his way back to her face. “Good?”

Her response was to purr as she kissed him. “Stay.”

He blinked at her. “What?” Stay? What did she mean stay?

He watched as her relaxed gaze slowly morphed into one of panic. “Uhh, umm, well, uhh, I didn’t mean umm stay stay.” 

“You didn’t?” He shrank away from her.

“I mean, not if you don’t want to. I’m not going to make you. But I’d prefer it if you stayed.” She frowned at her hands. “I didn’t phrase it very well.” Blowing her mane out of her face, she sat up, pulling Torian into a seated position as well, holding his hands. “Torian, I don’t want you to go back to that shabuir that you’re traveling with. I want you to travel with me. Instead.”

Torian felt something in his chest, he felt heavy, like pressure has been applied, like Skadge was sitting on him. “You want me to travel with you?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

He searched her face. She was serious. There was something in her eyes; something he didn’t understand. What was stopping him? Adrestia was his jate’kara; his destiny. What was stopping him from leaving Soggeva’s crew?

“You don’t have to.” Adrestia was trying not to cry. She couldn’t tell him she loved him because she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she wanted to spend as much time with him before the end of all life in the galaxy -if she failed. And even if she did fail, she wanted to fail knowing she got to spend her last moments being with him. “But, I don’t want you to leave.” She traced his fingers. Torian had such beautiful fingers, she liked looking at them, they were what Master Oteph called musician fingers. And, if she was looking at his fingers then she could compose her features when he inevitably turned her down.

Torian frowned at the top of Adrestia’s head. Why wouldn’t she look at him? “Addy,” he tipped her face up, forcing her look at him, “are you sure? I’m Mando’ade. You’re a Jedi.”

“And I’m currently traveling with a Sith Lord.” She shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

“What?” That surprised him. Didn’t Sith and Jedi hate each other?

“He wants to stop the apocalypse and he says I’m the only one powerful enough to do it.” 

“Addy,” he yanked her in for a hug, “aru’ela be ner aru’ela cuyir ner burc’ya?”

“What?” Pulling back, she furrowed her brow.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Torian translated, tucking her mane behind her ears, stroking her face.

“Pretty much.” She shrugged, her eyes looking at her lap. “So, me traveling with a Mandalorian wouldn’t be too weird.”

He gazed at her, trying to figure out what she wanted. “Is it what you want?”

“More than anything.” She breathed, a feral hope in her eyes, a tenseness to her frame.

Her admission caused the weight to lift. “I’ll stay with you.” He breathed easier.

Chirping in joy, she tackled him against the wall, causing him to bang his head.

“Oh! Sorry!” She pulled his head forward, causing him to curl into his stomach, folding him in half basically as she checked to make sure he wasn’t bleeding.

“Addy!” He gasped. “Air!” 

“Oh!” Adrestia cried, snatching her hands back, allowing Torian to straighten. “Sorry!”

He caught one look at her contrite, worried face, and he burst into laughter. “It’s fine.” He kissed her. “Just don’t try and fold me in half again, alright?”

“Alright.” She smiled sheepishly.

They shared a tentative smile.

“Are you hungry?” She asked softly.

“I could eat.” He didn’t want to let her go.

“I’ll be right back.” She kissed the palm of his hand before she stood and quickly threw on some clothes.

Torian watched her leave, running a hand over his head. He vaguely wondered about logistics. How could he get his besbe*, besbe’trayce, and extra beskar-gam. 

#

“Tia?” Kira blinked in surprise at her friend and former Master. 

“Oh, hey Kira.” Adrestia quickly hid the food behind her back.

“Are you feeling better?” Kira asked kindly, not wanting to upset her friend.

“Kinda. I’m probably going to go back and play my flute.” Adrestia held up the food. “I got hungry though.”

Kira arched an eyebrow at the amount of food. “That’s more food than you normally eat.”

Adrestia nodded. “Yep.” She wasn’t going to lie.

Kira frowned but couldn’t very well pry. “Alright.”

“Kira, you don’t have a problem with Mandalorians do you? Like in general?” Adrestia made a case study of her feet.

“I dislike the ones that shoot at us. And I can’t say I like how they’re just guns for hire most of the time. Nor that they currently side with the Sith.” Kira crossed her arms.

“If you met one that wasn’t necessarily sided with the Empire, would you hate them?” Adrestia asked.

“No.” Kira spoke her answer, realizing it was the truth. “But I don’t think that’s how Mandos work.”

“But you wouldn’t hate him or try and kill him on sight?” Adrestia stared at her friend.

Kira took a step back at the look in her friend’s eyes. “No. I wouldn’t hate him.”

Kira felt Adrestia’s relief.

“Wonderful.” Adrestia hugged the taller woman. “Thanks, Kira.”

Kira hugged her back, confusion coloring her actions “You’re welcome.” Kira watched as Adrestia walked back to her room, carrying enough food for two people. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

Kira hoped that whoever Adrestia was specifically talking about wasn’t some asshole that was just going to hurt Adrestia. That it wasn’t some elaborate trick by the Emperor. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kute - underarmor
> 
> hetikless - noseburn, it's something Mandos prize when they're eating, it's a spiciness that they like so i figured Adrestia' scent would give him similar satisfaction but not in a food way. idk. 
> 
> bes'be - kit
> 
> besbe-trayce - weapon or weapons
> 
> beskar-gam - armor


	15. Chapter 15

“Torian?” Adrestia whispered upon entering her room. She didn’t see him. Did he leave? “Torian?” She tried again.

Closing the door, she listened and took a deep breath. Finally, she pinpointed him. Torian was using the refresher. Sighing, she placed the food on the room’s desk, heading towards the attached refresher. “Torian?”

“In here!” Torian sounded like he was in the shower.

Grinning, Adrestia entered the refresher to watch him as he showered. The shower didn’t have a partition or a curtain and she’d, at first, been reticent at the lack of possible privacy, but upon further investigation, the Voss didn’t understand what personal privacy was. Not in the sense of nakedness. Privacy was for emotions not bodies to the Voss.

She moaned. She never knew seeing a naked man with water running down his body could be so attractive. She’d seen naked men before. But never one that made her mouth water, her teeth ache.

“Torian, why are you taking a shower?” She turned around, too much staring was giving her ideas.

“I wanted to smell nice for you.” He blushed, hopeful that the hot water on his skin made it impossible for her to see it.

“But you always smell nice to me.” She smiled slightly, despite him not being able to see her face.

“And you always smell wonderful to me.” He spoke in her ear before his arms wrapped around her and he yanked her fully clothed into the shower.

Adrestia shrieked, swiping her suddenly wet mane out of her face to see Torian laughing at her.

Gasping in outrage, she caused a massive wave of water to hit him square in his face. Giggling when he sputtered.

“Hey! Not fair!” He glared at her.

She arched a brow. “Really? All is fair in war.”

Torian narrowed his eyes, hands on hips as he glared at her in feigned outrage. “Oh, all is fair, huh?”

Adrestia nodded.

“Well, in that case.” He reached to flush the toilet, turning the pleasantly hot water into cold water.

Her eyes flew open as cold water slid down her back. Growling in mock fury, she Force-pulled him to her, turning him around so that his naked body was fully under the cold spray of the shower. His hiss of surprise had her giggling.

Luckily, the water turned back to warm but that didn’t stop his shivering.

“Aww, are you cold?” She cooed.

His response was to growl at her.

Smothering a laugh, she slowly peeled her soaking wet clothes off, making sure he was watching her, before she pressed their bodies together, backing him against the shower stall wall. “I’ll have you warm shortly.” She purred, licking his chest.

“I should’ve known better than to play with you, shouldn’t I?” He asked into her mane.

“You’ll learn.” She licked his chin. 

“Looking forward to it.”

#

Soggeva was throwing a temper tantrum.

“Where the fuck is Torian?” She screeched for the fifth time in so many minutes. “He is supposed to be here when his girlfriend gets back from a mission!”

Gault, Mako, and Blizz exchanged glances. Whatever Soggeva’s issue was they hoped Torian stayed away for a while.

“What’s the problem, boss?” Gault dared to ask.

“The problem is I killed that bitch dead and now I’m horny as fuck and Torian’s not here.” She kicked over the nearest trash can.

Mako and Gault exchanged another look as Blizz scurried back to the engine room.

“Geva, that boy’s a pansy. You need a real man.” Skadge boomed.

“Oh, you offering?” Soggeva batted her eyelashes at the Houk.

“Like you could handle me.” Skadge laughed. “Come play cards with me and forget about that loser.”

Soggeva barked a laugh and went with Skadge to the crews’ quarters to play cards.

Mako and Gault exchanged another glance. Nobody really understood Soggeva’s and Skadge’s relationship.

“So,” Gault said, “you think you would’ve stuck with her if you knew this is how she was?” He jerked a thumb in Soggeva’s general direction.

Mako signed. “No.”

Gault nodded. “Same here.”

#

“The refresher is soaked.” Adrestia observed from the doorway.

“That happens when three water splash fights break out.” Torian propped his chin on her shoulder.

“True.” Sighing, she turned in his arms. It was amazing, Torian had only been in her room for a total of eighteen hours and she was already used to his presence. “I brought food.”

“I saw.” He rubbed their noses together. “What do you want to do?”

She shrugged. “Well, it’s sorta my practice hour.”

“Practice?”

She nodded, chewing her lip. “My uncle gave me a flute that belonged to my mother and I’ve been trying to learn to play it.” She looked down and away, nervously twisting a foot on the floor.

“You play the flute?” 

“Not very well.” She shrugged. “But I don’t have to practice if you’d rather we do something else.”

“I’d love to hear you play, Addy.” Torian figured her playing sober even as a beginner had to be better than drunk Mandalorians or Soggeva’s drunken singing in his ears.

She lit up, a sparkle coming to her eyes as she tucked some mane behind an ear. “Ok.”

Torian made himself comfortable on the bed as he watched her pull out a music stand, sheet music, and a wooden flute from a suitcase. “I didn’t know you had an uncle.”

Adrestia hummed as she flipped through the sheet music. “Only recently discovered. I always thought I was an orphan given to the Jedi when I was six. But, when I was on my last mission, I met a man that claimed he was my uncle. Showed me a picture of him and my mom as children. He wasn’t lying. Sent me this flute about three weeks ago and I try and set aside time every two days to practice.”

“How do you know it was your mom?” Torian asked. He missed his mother, but she died when he was seven.

“I have a holo image of her, and a few stills of us together before she gave me away to the Jedi.” She shrugged. “I was told she died.” She frowned as she lifted the flute to her lips.

“Will I get to meet your uncle?” Torian asked.

“I’m sure he will insist upon it.” She flashed a smile. 

Torian smiled back, making a zipping motion over his lips to indicate he was done asking questions.

She rolled her eyes and began to play.

The song was simple, the music from the flute flat but that was more because of the type of flute than her playing ability, the melody soft and serene. And after a while, Torian closed his eyes, letting the sound wash over him. He’d been correct. Adrestia was loads better than the drunk Mandalorians he’d heard play, even if some of her notes did squeak* occasionally.

When the song ended, he clapped. “Mesh'la.”

She ducked her head, biting her lip. “Thanks.”

“Another?” He asked hopefully.

“Ok.” She lifted the flute to her lips again, beginning another song.

#

“Addy, do you know your father?” He asked, gaze firmly fixed on the ceiling as he held her.

“No. Why?”

Torian didn’t answer for the longest time. “I remember my father, although he left when I was five.”

“Why?” She turned her head so she could gaze at his face without lifting her head off his chest.

“He wanted the Mandalorians to side with the Republic. The current Mandalore wanted to side with the Empire. They fought. My father lost.” He took a shuddering breath. He hadn’t told anybody this. Only Corridan, Mandalore, and a few others knew. “That would’ve been the end of it, but my father told some Jedi where some Mandalorians were. The Jedi set up an ambush, killed fifty warriors.” Adrestia gasped. “My father was branded a traitor and fled.”

“Oh, Torian, I’m so sorry.” She hugged him close. “Is that why nobody accepts you? Your father?”

Torian nodded. “Yeah. Killing my father was the only way to cleanse my Clan of his shame. To cleanse myself of it.” He met her eyes. This could be a make or break point of their relationship. Not many people understood Mandalorian Honor or culture.

Adrestia searched his face as she mulled over what Torian said. “Do you want to know how I got my scar?” She pointed to her face; at his nod she took a breath. “My father gave it to me. I was six, before my mother fled Imperial space with me.” She paused, wondering how to phrase what she wanted to say. “My father was a Sith Lord. Not a very powerful one politics wise because he was a Cathar. But his family had been Sith for at least two hundred years. His family ancestors had fled to the Empire instead of Republic space after the Mandalorians attacked Cathar. He was at least a respected legacy Sith even if he held no political office.” She rested her chin on her hand which was over Torian’s heart. “I had siblings. I remember. I was one of three kits. My sister died from a Gundark attack on the family grounds. My brother,” she frowned, “I don’t remember what happened to him. But I know he wasn’t Force-sensitive. Only I was. My father’s family had this tradition, a sort of branding they did to the Force-sensitive children. As a reminder that anybody could betray you.” 

Staring into space she tried not to relive the worst moment of her childhood; her father picking up his lightsaber and making two slashes across her face; her mother coming in, seeing what happened and screeching in rage, killing Adrestia’s father, picking up Adrestia, and fleeing. “Mother fled with me to Republic Nar Shaddaa, found the first Jedi she could and fell at his feet. The Jedi didn’t trust her at first, she was a fallen Jedi. A Jedi that was seduced literally by the dark side.” Her smile was bittersweet. “We stayed with that Jedi for a while, but then one day, Mother just didn’t come back. She went out and never came back. I don’t know why.”

Meeting his gaze, she touched his cheek. “I’m the child of a Sith Lord and my mother was a fallen Jedi. I know how it feels to wear the taint of your parents’ infamy.” She loved his understanding green eyes. “I know what it feels like to want to do anything to get approval of those you view as your people.”

“Addy!” He stopped. Torian couldn’t think of anything to say. Not after that.

“Did you get your revenge? Bring honor back to your Clan?” She asked instead.

“Yes.” Soggeva did at least do that one nice thing for Torian amongst all the shit.

“Then all the rest is window dressing.” She kissed him. “I understand, Torian.”

She did. He read it plain as day in her eyes. Adrestia, Jedi Knight and Cathar, understood him.

“Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum.” He pulled her in for a kiss. He did. He loved her with every fiber of his being. 

A part of him was screaming that it was too soon. He’d only known her for less than a week but she was his jate’kara. Of course, he loved her.

Adrestia purred at his words. She didn’t know what they meant but she sensed the sentiment behind them. 

“When do you think is a good time to go get your things?” She sighed as the kiss ended.

“Soon.” He pressed their foreheads together.

“Want me to send Scourge with you?” She asked. “He’s eight feet tall, four hundred pounds of mean Sith Lord that begrudgingly wants to keep me happy.”

Torian snorted a laugh. “No, as long as I sneak on and get my kit, I should be able to come back quickly.”

“Alright.” She sighed, laying her head back on his chest. “I trust you.”

“I will come back to you.” He whispered into her hair.

“You better.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have i mentioned how much i loathe being mean to Torian?

Adrestia hated waiting. But she promised to wait for Torian as he went back to his ship to get his things.

So, she waited. She was waiting. Hopeful.

#

Torian entered Soggeva’s ship, bypassing her and everybody else, heading straight to his bunk. He had packing to do.

“Torian,” Soggeva watched him from the doorway, “where have you been for three days?”

Three days? Had it really been three days he spent with Adrestia? It didn’t seem that long. 

“I was with a friend.” He answered. Adrestia was so much more but he wasn’t about to inform Soggeva of that.

“A friend?” Soggeva scoffed. “Is that what you call the Jedi you’ve been fucking? A friend?”

Torian’s blood turned to ice. “What?” He turned to see the Twi’lek sneering at him.

“You heard me. The Jedi you’ve been holed up with. The one you’ve been fucking.” She tossed a datapad on his bed, an image of him and Adrestia kissing in the square on its screen. “Very interesting, your Jedi.” Soggeva sauntered up to him. “She’s wanted by some very powerful people. The Emperor, in fact. Imagine that.”

Torian swallowed, his eyes flickering to the doorway, noticing Skadge blocking it. Torian was stuck. “I won’t let you harm her.”

Soggeva laughed, raucous and cruel. “You won’t let me harm her? That’s adorable. Really.” She reached out a manicured hand, her nails like claws. “I don’t think your opinion matters. She’s worth a lot of credits.” 

Torian waited. Soggeva was slow in getting to her point. “What do you want?” Soggeva always wanted a trade. If he discovered what Soggeva wanted instead, he’d give it. He had to protect Adrestia.

Soggeva’s sneered morphed into a leer. “Oh, you know what I want. What I’ve always wanted.”

Torian swallowed. “I don’t think that would make Skadge happy.”

She snorted. “Skadge will do whatever I tell him to.”

“What do I need to do?” 

Soggeva grinned. “That’s the spirit. Protect your little pet.” Torian felt as her hands scratched down his skull, her body pressed to his. “Give me what I want. Skadge will fall in line.”

Torian looked down at her. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”

Soggeva flashed a smile. “A deal is a deal. And, as long as you keep me happy. She lives. Free to go about doing her do-gooder banthashit all accross the galaxy.”

Torian hated himself but he loathed Soggeva. “Deal.” He had to protect Adrestia. He had to.

“Good boy.” Soggeva yanked him in for a bruising kiss. “Now move your shit into my room.”

Pushing away from him, she walked towards the door, taking Skadge with her.

“Oh, and Torian,” she looked over her shoulder at him, “you’re not allowed to contact her in any way, shape, or form because if you do, she’ll be dead in a week. I’ll make sure of it.”

She waited for Torian to nod before she finally left.

Torian collapsed, kneeling on the floor in defeat.

“Torian?” Mako’s soft voice had his whipping his head up to look at the door once more. “Oh, Torian, I am so sorry.”

Torian stood, walking over to the cyborg. “It’s not your fault Mako.” He held her close, letting Mako cry.

Mako looked horrible, her face was swollen looking like she was tortured, her implants were sparking and broken, kolto patches covered cuts and burns on her skin. 

Torian felt something in him break and grow hard. He locked away all the warmth he felt for Adrestia deep inside his heart. Promising to never look at it, never dwell on it. Adrestia was the brightest thing in his short life, it wasn’t to be touched by the disgusting cesspool that was Soggeva and her ilk.

#

Adrestia wasn’t going to cry. It’d been twelve hours since Torian left, promising he’d right back. 

He wasn’t coming. 

Something happened to him.

He wasn’t coming.

An internal wail started but Adrestia silenced it. Torian had lied to her. He wasn’t coming.

“Let’s go, Teeseven.” She smiled at the droid; her smile broken.

Teeseven whirred in question, its circuits worried.

“I’m fine. Let’s go.” She sniffed, heading towards the Republic shuttles. “He’s not coming.”

Teeseven rolled behind her, wondering who ‘he’ was and its processor heartbroken at the broken way Adrestia smiled.


	17. Chapter 17

Adrestia was happy her uncle was happy. Uncle Aric deserved to find love and happiness. So did Nivah. Adrestia was looking forward to be a cousin to Aric's and Nivah's eventual children.

“I’m happy for you, Uncle.” Adrestia hugged Aric.

“Thanks, kitten.” He’d taken to calling Adrestia ‘kitten’ shortly after meeting her. 

He studied her face as she watched their two crews celebrate the ceremony. “How are you doing?” he asked softly.

Adrestia shrugged. “I’m surviving. I head to Ilum soon.”

Aric nodded. “That’s not what I meant.” He stroked her face.

She sniffed, discreetly wiping a tear away. “I am not doing well.”

Aric hugged her again. His little girl was heartbroken. Had been for a while now. And he didn’t know how to help. “I love you.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I love you too, Uncle.” She began purring, closing her eyes and nuzzling his chest.

“Are you two being maudlin?” Nivah asked, yanking both her lifemate and her new niece into a hug.

“No.” Aric scoffed.

“Maybe.” Adrestia answered.

Nivah laughed, kissing both Cathar. “Is being maudlin and grumpy a family trait?”

“Maybe.” Aric answered.

Adrestia shrugged.

Nivah shook her head. “You’re welcome to come stay with us, baby-girl.” She hugged Adrestia closer. “You know that. When you ever get tired of Doc and tall dark and unpleasant.”

Adrestia smiled at Nivah’s nickname for Lord Scourge. “I’ll think about it.”

Nivah stroked Adrestia’s cheek. “You know we love you and we want you to be happy.”

Adrestia nodded. “I know.”

“Good. Now, go dance with my feckless baby brother because he’s a loser and is too afraid to ask you.” Nivah jerked her head over her shoulder.

Adrestia and Aric both looked up to see a nervous looking male Cathar the same age as Adrestia, trying and failing at not staring at Adrestia.

Aric growled and frowned.

Adrestia giggled at her uncle’s reaction. “Alright, Aunt Nivah. I’ll go dance with Uncle Newwes.”

Aric frowned at his wife as Adrestia headed over the Newwes. “Did you have to do that?”

Nivah smacked his stomach. “It’s good for the girl. She needs something to pull her out of her funk.”

“Yeah, but Newwes? Really?”

Nivah arched a brow at him. “And what is wrong with my baby brother?”

“Nothing other than the fact that I really don’t want my niece to become my sister-in-law.” 

Nivah tossed her head back, laughing. “Yes, well, that’s what you get when you marry a woman that’s eight years your junior.”

Aric growled at her.

“Shut up and kiss me.” Nivah yanked him in for a bruising kiss.

#

“Ilum is known for its lightsaber crystals.” Mako was telling him and Gault.

“Is that why the Empire wants it?” Gault muttered under his breath.

Mako shrugged. “Probably.”

Torian listened as Mako and Gault continued talking. Mako had never fully recovered from the torture session Soggeva and Skadge had put her through. The cyborg now styled her hair into a mohawk due to scars, her implants had never really recovered from the damage either, neither had her left hand. 

As for Gault and Blizz, the Devaronian dandy and the Jawa had gotten off light since neither had been on the ship at the time, sent out on a mission for Soggeva. But Gault’s nose was still crooked from the punch Soggeva had landed on his face when he questioned her torture of Mako. And Blizz now limped from being punted down the ship’s stairs by Skadge.

Torian frowned. Something Mako had said about lightsaber crystals. “The Jedi get their lightsaber crystals from here?”

Mako nodded. “Yep. There’s loads of different colored crystals scattered throughout caves on the planet.”

“I wonder if there are any pink ones.” Torian muttered.

Mako and Gault both looked at him.

“Probably.” Mako said. “I could try and find out.”

“Thanks, Mako.” Torian glanced around before flashing the cyborg a quick smile. Soggeva didn’t like him to smile at anybody but her.

“No problem.” Mako didn’t smile back, too afraid of getting caught.


	18. Chapter 18

Adrestia answered her holo absently. “Hello?”

“Knight Adrestia, there is a package for you.” A friendly voice stated.

Adrestia glanced at her chrono, furrowing her brow. It was well past mail call. “I’ll be down shortly.”

She watched the other person incline their head before the call ended.

Adrestia frowned, tossing her sheet music off to the side. Who would be sending her a package? Uncle Aric and Aunt Nivah would have emailed her if they had sent her a package, so it couldn’t be them. And they were the only ones that would send her a gift.

Stretching as she stood, Adrestia left her rooms in the Jedi temple to head to the mailroom. She waved at other Padawans and Jedi, her vacation was nearing an end. Not that it was really a vacation, more of a stopover between missions. Lord Scourge wanted to look at the archives, Kira wanted to visit with Master Kiwiiks, and Doc wanted to study with some of the healers. Adrestia didn’t have a problem with that. She had spent the last three weeks since Ilum purchasing more sheet music for her new collection of flutes.

“Here you are.” The mail clerk smiled and passed Adrestia a smallish package.

“Thank you.” Adrestia smiled, looking curiously at the package. Qyzen? She didn’t know any Qyzens. “Strange.” 

Not wanting to wait until she got back to her room, she opened the package, wondering at who or what Qyzen was and why ze would send her a package.

She gasped, eyes going wide as she cleared away the tissue paper. A lightsaber crystal. A fuchsia lightsaber crystal. 

“Is that a lightsaber crystal?” Kira asked, her and Master Kiwiks walking up behind Adrestia.

“Yeah.” A slow smile spread across her face. She’d been wanting a fuchsia one forever, but she never found the time to get one while she was on Ilum.

“Whose is it from?” Master Kiwiiks asked.

Adrestia passed the older Master the box.

“Qyzen? That name is familiar.” Master Kiwiiks said. “Is Qyzen the name of the Trandoshan that travels with the Barsen’thor?”

Kira shrugged.

“Why would he send you a lightsaber crystal?” Kira asked.

Adrestia shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“Maybe we should ask him?” Kira offered.

“Maybe.” Adrestia couldn’t wait to get back to her room and put it in her lightsaber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you've ever played the JC and done Qyzen's side-quest then you know he knows Mako.


	19. Chapter 19

This was perfect. 

“How much is this?” Torian asked the seller.

The seller frowned. “One hundred credits.”

Torian frowned, the bracelet was gorgeous, rainbow opal on a platinum chain, but he wasn’t sure it was worth one hundred credits.

“I’ll let you have for fifty if you buy the matching necklace.” The seller jerked his thumb at another section of the table.

Torian looked at the necklace. The necklace wasn’t as pretty as the bracelet. But both would look fantastic on her.

“Done.” Torian knew a deal when he heard one.

The seller nodded, boxing up the bracelet and the necklace. “Threw in a matching helix earring* as well. Didn’t have enough of the opal to make a proper earring.” He shrugged. “The plateau I got the opal from collapsed two days ago.”

Torian inclined his head, mind trying to remember if she had pierced ears, not that he could recall, and he hated himself for it. He spent three days with her two years ago. He felt he should remember if her ears were pierced or not. “Thanks.”

The seller nodded, already looking at another customer.

#

Adrestia frowned at the Barsen’thor and his Trandoshan friend. “Who told you to send the package to me?”

It had taken six months to get in touch with the Trandoshan and the Barsen’thor, the Barsen’thor being very busy doing diplomatic things.

“_Mako._” Qyzen shrugged.

“Mako?” Adrestia’s confusion deepened.

Qyzen shrugged again but nodded.

Adrestia and the Barsen’thor exchanged looks. 

“Was that all you needed?” He asked, his smile sweet and his cherry red eyes pleasant. 

“Yes.” Adrestia bowed her head. “Sorry to bother you both, but I wanted to know who sent me my lightsaber crystal.”

The Barsen’thor nodded, perfectly understanding. “It was Qyzen. And I remember the call now. His friend Mako called him up and asked if he could do her a favor for a friend.” He looked up at Qyzen. “Her friend was an anxious looking redhead. You remember his name?”

Qyzen shook his head. “N_o, Herald, I do not._”

The Barsen’thor nodded again. “Thank you though, Qyzen.”

Qyzen bowed and left.

The Barsen’thor turned to look back at Adrestia.

The two Jedi studied each other. It was amazing that the two had never met considering they were on Tython at the same time before the war started. Or at any time since. 

“My name is Baz, by the way.” He smiled.

Adrestia found herself smiling in return. “Adrestia. Tia to my friends.” She found it amazing that a Chiss could have freckles.

“Well, may I call you Tia?” Baz inquired, blushing slightly.

“If you would like.” Adrestia looked down and away, his smile reminded her of...no. She wouldn’t think of him.

“Well, then Tia, I look forward to hearing from you again.” Baz inclined his head.

“Same here, Baz.” Adrestia inclined her head in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a helix piercing is one that's done of the cartilage where an ear cuff would be and those usually don't have matches. 
> 
> here's my trusty ear piercing naming chart guide that i use personally
> 
> https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS824US824&biw=1920&bih=937&tbm=isch&sxsrf=ACYBGNT6xSO_qfceK2nKmWRqgocUpZep8Q%3A1570937195427&sa=1&ei=a5miXaTaGY-yggf2yovYDg&q=ear+piercings+name+chart&oq=ear+piercings+name+chart&gs_l=img.3..0.4573.6151..6404...0.0..0.169.1487.0j11......0....1..gws-wiz-img.......0i67j0i30j0i8i30.IeKcC_CbW9Y&ved=0ahUKEwjku_2LpZjlAhUPmeAKHXblAusQ4dUDCAc&uact=5#imgrc=_I4haOluSLF9OM:


	20. Chapter 20

Torian squinted at the directions again. Corridan had sent him directions on how to make a bes’bev. The problem was that Corridan had shitty handwriting.

“What are you making?” Gault asked quietly, glancing around to make sure Soggeva and Skadge were off the ship.

“I’m trying to make a bes’bev.” Torian answered, growling in frustration. Was that word ‘curved’? Damn Corridan and his handwriting.

“Is it for her?” The Devonarian inquired.

Torian nodded. Every gift he’d ever gotten was for her.

Gault sighed. “Is it my turn?”

Torian nodded. “Please.”

Gault clapped his hands. “I’ll try and find somebody that doesn’t want to kill me to help.”

“Thanks.” Torian mumbled, deciding that Corridan meant to write ‘carved’.

#

Adrestia scratched her head. Three mystery gifts. Each from three different people she didn’t know. The lightsaber crystal from Qyzen. The jewelry from a Kaliyo given to Doc with the threat to pass on to her. An emerald green ribbon made from the Killik silk and shimmersilk from somebody named Risha.

And Adrestia had no idea who any of the people that sent the gifts. Although Qyzen was lovely. Kaliyo was a bit frightening and made Adrestia question Doc’s taste in women. And Risha. Well, Adrestia at least got to meet a very lovely smuggler. So, it wasn’t too bad.

“Jedi Adrestia,” Lord Scourge intoned.

“Lord Scourge.” Adrestia turned and eyed the Sith warily. They’d been working together since she was eighteen, she was twenty now, but she wasn’t so sure that he even liked her, but he still remained on her crew.

“You have an urgent message to head to the Fleet.”

“Of course.” Adrestia blinked at him “Inform Kira to pilot us there, then.”

Lord Scourge bowed and left.

Adrestia turned back to her mystery gifts, picking up the emerald green hair ribbon. She swallowed. It had taken a while for her to not shy away from all mentions of Torian. 

She missed him and she hoped he was doing well despite breaking her heart two and a half years ago.

There were times where she wondered if the gifts she received was from him. After all, every person she talked to told her that it was done as a favor to a friend or an acquaintance.

Qyzen did it from somebody named Mako at the request of a redheaded friend of Mako. 

Kaliyo did it as a favor to a Jawa she met on Hoth for a fancy new scope for her rifle.

Risha did it for some Devonarian that knew Nok Dreyan and a Hylo Visz.

Adrestia wondered how a Jawa was on Hoth.

Sighing, she turned away. 

It was a mystery for another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you romance Doc, he brings Kaliyo on board as a type of hostage so he can go cure Nemro of some type of disease. I do not remember it right now. And I feel like Gault would know Risha b/c her dad and Gault sound like they'd know each other a bit


	21. Chapter 21

Theron looked at the young woman in front of him. When Gnost-dural suggested her, Theron didn’t realize how young she was. Twenty. Jedi Adrestia was twenty-years old.

She wore her shiny grey mane tied back with an emerald green silk ribbon. Theron wasn’t sure but he guessed the material to be Killik silk. A necklace with a rainbow opal pendant that matched a bracelet and a helix piercing shone against her grey fur.

“You want me to take the Sith Academy?” She asked, her grey eyes never leaving the map.

“That’s the plan.” Theron answered.

She nodded. “Done.”

Theron blinked at her. “What?”

“Done. I’ll do it.” She smiled slightly.

Theron blinked at her even as Colonel Darok laughed.

“Excellent.” Theron heard Darok say. “We’ll see you back here when you’re done. Theron here will help you throughout.” Darok clapped Theron on the back before leaving the room.

Adrestia turned her grey eyes to meet Theron.

“Understood. I look forward to working with you, Agent Shan.” She bowed her head.

“Likewise, Jedi Adrestia.” Theron answered.

She smiled slightly. “You may call me Tia.”

“You can call me Theron.” Theron offered.


	22. Chapter 22

The bes’bev was finished. It had taken Torian a while to get it the right shade of grey and emerald. He had no idea why he did it, only that Adrestia’s eyes were grey and she remarked about how his green eyes, a feature he never really liked, was what she remembered the most about him. 

Now, he just needed to send it to her.

#

Adrestia studied the Sith Lana Beniko the same way Lana was studying her.

“Hello.” Adrestia said after a while.

“Hello.” Lana replied.

“Adrestia.” She stuck out her hand.

“Lana.” Lana took the hand.

They shook hands.

“Thank you for helping me.” Adrestia finally said, dropping Lana’s hand.

“No problem.” Lana answered. She rather liked Jedi Knight Adrestia.

#

“Tia!” Theron pulled her behind a stack of crates on Manaan.

“Theron?” Adrestia gasped before giggling, allowing Theron to pull her in for a kiss.

The kiss lasted a while before he finally pulled back. “I’m sorry we have to leave.”

Adrestia ran her fingers through his hair. “It’s alright. I understand.” She cooed at him. “Keep me posted and call if you need my help.”

Theron kissed her again. “Of course.”

Adrestia nipped at his chin before she pulled him in for another kiss.

Moaning, Theron deepened the kiss.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soggeva sucks and I hate her and I hate that my brain came up with her. and I loathed being mean to Torian.

Torian hadn’t realized how much he missed being around other Mandalorians until Soggeva had taken a bounty on a Sith Lord and followed the Sith lord to Rishi.

“Torian!” Jos slapped him on the back. “Come join us for a hunt!”

Torian wanted to. He really did. “Alright.”

Standing, Torian ignored the wide eyes of Mako and Gault. He was about to disobey Soggeva. But Torian no longer cared. 

Plus, Soggeva was in town trying to figure out how to get to the Sith Lord.

#

The hunt had gone well. So well that the Mandalorians of Clan Vizla were celebrating. Even Mako, Gault, and Blizz had been invited. And Torian was on his way to getting drunk.

“Torian.” Shae passed him his sixth bottle of tihaar.

“Shae.” Torian accepted the bottle gratefully.

“So, Soggeva.” The older Mandalorian cut straight to the chase. “You gonna marry her?”

Torian coughed, spewing the tihaar over himself, the table, and Shae. “Meg*?”

Shae arched an eyebrow and waited. She knew perfectly well Torian heard her.

Torian coughed until the burn from improperly swallowed alcohol ended. “Nayc*.” He took a swig of the beer. “Hell no.”

He glared at the woman.

“Why not?” Shae wanted to know. According to her sources, Torian and Soggeva were a couple, for going on three years now.

“She’s not wife material.” Torian spat before making to leave.

“Udesiir*, Torian.” Shae put her hand on his arm. “Ni ceta. I meant no offense.”

He grunted, sitting back down, shrinking into his chair, cradling the bottle of tihaar against his chest.

Shae studied Torian out of the corner of his eye. He had given a rather vehement response. “Who is she?” Could be a man. Shae didn’t know.

“She?” Torian grunted again, trying not to be disrespectful to a Clan leader. Especially one of the few that accepted him even before he killed his father.

“The woman you’re in love with.” Shae shrugged. 

He placed the empty bottle on the table in front of him. “Addy.” Telling Shae couldn’t hurt.

“Why can’t you be with her?” Shae wanted to know.

Torian sighed, leaning his face in his hands. “Soggeva.”

Shae’s eyebrows arched higher. “How do you mean?”

He shrugged. “If I leave Soggeva then she’ll kill Addy.” 

Shae cursed under her breath. “That chakaaryc*, di’kutla* ge’hutuun!”

Torian felt his eyes widen.

“No wonder she turned down Manda’lore’s offer to become one of us.” Shae spat.

Torian could only nod. 

They sat in silence for a while longer, watching as Mako tentatively flirted with one of the other Mandalorians.

“What about her?” Shae jerked her chin at Mako.

“Mako’s a little sister.” Torian frowned. Mako was cute but Addy was perfection.

“No, I meant is she Mando’ade material?” Shae rolled her eyes.

He pursed his lips. “I think so. Yes.”

“The Jawa?” 

“Maybe. You’d have to ask him.” Torian shrugged.

“The dandy?”

Torian snorted. “No. Gault is not Mando’ade material.”

Shae nodded. “Understood.”

Silence fell, the two of them drinking in companionable silence.

“So, this Addy, she a Mando?” Shae figured enough time had elapsed and Torian was on his tenth bottle of tihaar, it was time for deeper questions.

Torian sighed, shaking his head. “Nayc. Jetii.”

That admission had Shae blinking in surprise. “What?”

Torian propped his chin on the palm of his hand. “She saved my life twice. Saved me from dying on Taris and rescued me from assassins on Hoth.” He sighed. “She’s Cathar too.”

“A Cathar Jedi.” Shae looked around the party.

Torian nodded. “Yeah. But she’s so sweet. And she understood why I had to kill Jicoln. Plus, she saved me.”

Shae couldn’t believe it. A Jedi saved a Mandalorian. “But she didn’t know you were a Mandalorian?”

“No. She knew.” He started laughing. “We met because she fell on me. Literally walked off a cliff and fell on me.” He snorted at the memory. “I followed her. Lied, told her I was trying to find a new hiding spot, but she was so adorable in her indignation at my cutting her cape off. Plus, her ass and the way her hips swayed when she walked.” He got a stupid look on his face.

Shae tried not to smile at Torian’s admission that he was an ass man. “She fell on you?”

“You know how Taris is. So many craters and crevices. And the ground lies to you.” Torian hiccupped. “So, I followed her, and we fought pirates together because she walked right into a trap. It wasn’t until after the fight that we realized what the other was.” he met Shae’s gaze. “She has a pink lightsaber. Because pink is her favorite color. I sent her a fuchsia lightsaber crystal from Ilum. I wonder if she uses it. Do you think she uses it?”

Shae blinked at the change in conversation. “Probably.”

“I hope so. I also sent her a green hair ribbon made from Killik silk and a necklace and bracelet set.” He sighed again. “My father stabbed me to get away and I was dying. I knew it. But she found me, and she healed me with her Force powers. It felt like I was burning from the inside out but still. A Jedi healed me. And didn’t arrest me or capture me or lecture me about maybe I should not be a Mando anymore.”

Shae made a noise, but she wasn’t sure that Torian really needed a response.

“Then, I was captured by assassins on Belsavis and taken to Hoth because Soggeva pissed off the wrong person. And Addy saved me again. She killed all the assassins and healed me.” He took the final swig from his bottle, accepting another bottle from Shae. “Did you know that Cathar purrs can heal people? They can. Something about the frequency of the purrs helping bones or something. I don’t know. But she pulled me back from death again. I had broken ribs, internal bleeding and she healed me again. Didn't have to.”

Shae made another noise.

“Soggeva left me to die but Addy was there, saving me. But I didn’t want to believe that Soggeva left me there to die so me and Addy got into an argument and she stormed out. But I stopped her from getting crushed by a massive icicle that fell from the cave’s ceiling. What are those things called?” He looked to Shae from an answer.

“Stalactites.” She supplied.

“Yes! Stalactites!” Torian nodded his thanks. “But then we got into another argument and I stormed off.”

Shae smirked. “You got into another argument with her?”

He nodded morosely. “I tried to tell her that crying alone won’t solve any problems, but she said I didn’t know anything because I was too stupid to realize that Soggeva left me to die.”

“Well, Addy had a point.” Shae replied.

“I know. But I didn’t want to admit it at the time.” Torian started peeling the label off the bottle. “But then Addy got us out of the cave we were snowed in and I remembered how she saved me, and I kissed her.”

Shae noticed how Torian’s cheeks reddened under his tattoo and not from the alcohol. 

“We were each other’s first kiss.” He chuckled in embarrassment. “She sent me a letter about it. But then she died.”

Shae frowned. “She died?”

“She wasn’t really dead, just possessed.” Torian waved away Shae’s questions. “I met Addy again on Voss and I was so happy she was alive. She asked me to travel with her. She was already traveling with a Sith Lord so a Mandalorian on her crew wouldn’t be too weird. But that didn’t happen.” Torian’s expression became thunderous. “Soggeva found out and blackmailed me. So, I have to stay with Soggeva or Addy will die.”

Shae pulled Torian in for a hug. She always felt slightly motherly towards the younger Mandalorian. After all, Torian’s mother had been Shae’s cousin. “What does Addy look like?” She asked.

“Grey fur, grey mane, and the most expressive grey eyes you’ve ever seen.” He smiled, a twinkle in his eyes. “Caf colored stripes and spots on her face. She is shorter than me. Only came to my shoulder and curves you’d die for.”

Shae chuckled then.

“But her laugh and the way her eyes sparked with emotion. She’s a warrior. No doubt about it. If she was a Mandalorian, she’d be the prize of her Clan. There’s no doubt about that.” Torian’s smile became sad. “She has a xesh shaped scar on her face that her father gave her when she was six.”

Shae believed him. “She sounds wonderful.” 

“She is.” Torian sniffed. “I’m going to go get some air.”

Shae watched as he pushed away from the table and left the room to go outside.

#

“Torian!” Soggeva drunkenly sauntered up to Torian, yanking his face in for a kiss. “I’m so close to the Sith.”

Torian pushed her away from him. “That’s good.”

Soggeva frowned up at him. “I’m horny. Let’s go fuck.”

“No. You’re drunk.” Torian forgot that denying her wasn’t in his best interest.

“No?” Her voice was low menace. “Are you forgetting our deal?”

Something in Torian’s brain snapped. “Our deal is done.”

“What did you say to me?”

“I said ‘I’m done.’ I’m done, Soggeva, go fuck Skadge or whoever. But you sure as shit ain’t fucking me anymore.” Torian pushed her further away from him.

“WHAT?” Her voice was high pitched and loud, causing several Mandalorians around them to cease their individual conversations to listen to her. 

“Are you now deaf as well as drunk? I said, ‘I’m done.’ I’m no longer going to be a part of the crew and I’m not going to let you blackmail me anymore. I’ve looked at the bounties, Addy isn’t even on them. The Sith don’t care. Your threats won’t work anymore. I’m done.”

Soggeva punched him in the face. “You’re done when I say you’re done.”

Torian scoffed. “We’re done because I say I’m done. You’re worse than dar’manda. You have no honor and I no longer recognize you.”

A hush fell over the gathered Mandalorians.

“What the fuck does that mean? Is that more banthashit Mando jargon? What is wrong with you assholes? That doesn’t make any sense.” Soggeva scoffed. “Honor isn’t as important as giving me what I want. So, stop being an idiot and get over yourself.”

The hush turned into an angry murmur.

“Leave.” Shae’s voice rang out.

“I beg your pardon?” Soggeva turned to look at Shae.

“Leave my compound. You’re no longer recognized by Clan Vizla.”

Soggeva sneered. “You don’t have a right to tell me to leave. I’m Manda’lore’s chosen.”

The sound of several blasters being pulled and primed filled the night air.

“Manda’lore can’t tell me who I can and can’t kick out of my own house. Now leave or you’ll be fed to the k’lor’slugs.” Shae pointed her blaster at Soggeva’s head.

Soggeva repressed a screech of rage. “Fine! Mako, Gault, Blizz, we’re leaving.”

“No.” Gault crossed his arms. “Don’t think so. Mako isn’t leaving either.”

Torian glanced over to see Mako in the arms of a huge Mirialan Mandalorian.

Blizz wasn’t anywhere to be found.

“Get off my property.” Shae shot Soggeva in the arm. “That’s the only warning you’re getting.”

Soggeva screeched before turning on her heel and leaving.

“Valk, make sure she leaves.” Shae ordered.

“Yes, Shae.” Valk and several others rocketed away.

“You guys need your things?” Shae asked Gault and Torian.

“I had Blizz slip away and get all our stuff about three hours ago.” Gault waved off Shae’s offer. “Thanks though.”

“What?” Torian blinked.

Gault shrugged. “We were leaving, we decided the minute we heard we were coming to Rishi and we were going to kidnap you. Nobody deserves to be around that much toxicity for long.” 

“Thanks.” Torian never thought that Gault was nice.

Gault clapped Torian on the shoulder and went back inside the building. 

“Thank you, Shae.” Torian bowed his head.

“It’s no problem.” Shae then looked at him. “You plan on hanging around for a bit?”

Torian nodded. “Guess so. Got nowhere else.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mandalorion words i Hope i am using correctly since all i have is a vocab list and no real way of knowing. so:
> 
> Meg - what
> 
> Nayc - no
> 
> Udesiir - relax, take it easy, calm down, find respite
> 
> Ni ceta - sorry, literally 'I kneel', like a groveling apology. 
> 
> chakaaryc - rotten, low-life, person with dubious ethics
> 
> di’kutla - useless, stupid, worthless
> 
> ge’hutuun - bandit, villain, petty thief. A serious criminal you have no respect for, spoken in abusive way (i think)
> 
> Jetii - Jedi
> 
> dar’manda - a state of being not Mandalorian, somebody that has lost their heritage and basically their soul, not necessarily somebody that isn't a Mandalorian. Regarded with absolute dread by traditionalist Mandos


	24. Chapter 24

“Another gift?” Adrestia frowned. This was getting ridiculous.

This time the gift was handed to a Jedi on Rishi with directions for the gift to be passed on to Adrestia.

The gift was from a Mandalorian named Corridan.

What would a Mandalorian have given her? Curiosity coursing through her veins, Adrestia opened the package to see a strange looking flute. It was longer than a normal flute and the end was pointed, almost a blade.

And it came with a note.

“For the warrior musician.” Adrestia read. Warrior musician? “It’s a bes’bev.” 

She flipped the note over. That’s all the note said. 

She looked at it. Bes’bev?

“Tia, what’s that?” Kira asked.

“A bes’bev.” Adrestia tentatively brought the instrument-weapon to her lips, giving it a try. 

The first few notes were beautiful. Grinning, Adrestia decided to play one of the few Mandalorian songs she had found and memorized.

“It’s beautiful!” Kira exclaimed.

“It is.” Adrestia loved the gift. It was probably her favorite she’d gotten so far.

#

“So, what do you think, Uncle Aric?” Adrestia grinned at her uncle over holo.

Aric rubbed his jaw and thought. “I’m not sure I like the idea of you dating a spook.”

She giggled. “Why not?”

“He’s a spook. He could get you into all sorts of trouble, Tia.” Aric didn’t like SIS agents. He didn’t trust them. Not after what happened with the Deadeyes.

She rolled her eyes. “I was asking about the bes’bev. Not Theron.”

Aric sighed. “The weird flute thing? That’s the fourth gift from your mystery admirer?”

She nodded, chewing on her lower lip.

“Well, it sounds beautiful. And it’s meant to be both a weapon and an instrument. Thus, the pointed end.” Aric pointed at the flute in her hands.

“For something that’s a weapon it sounds beautiful.” It almost made her sad that something so beautiful could be used to war.

“It makes sense from what I know of Mandalorians though. Practical but beautiful.” Aric would never admit it, but he secretly admired all Mandalorian weapons.

“Hmmm.” Why would her secret admirer send her a practical but beautiful gift? But it made sense with her two of her three other gifts. 

The lightsaber crystal was beautiful and practical. The hair ribbon was beautiful and practical. Only the necklace and bracelet were only pretty. 

Was her secret admirer a Mandalorian? Could it be Torian?

But why would Torian send her gifts after dumping her?

“Tia?” Aric’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Sorry, Uncle.” She placed the bes’bev carefully to the side. “And I’m not dating Theron. We’re just,” she paused, she wasn’t sure what she and Theron were only that they weren’t serious, “screwing around.”

Aric growled. “That does not make me feel better.”

Adrestia giggled. 

An urgent beeping noise was heard from Aric’s end of the holo.

“I have to go.” Aric sighed. “Promise me you’ll be safe.”

“Of course.” Adrestia smiled. “Tell Aunt Nivah I said hello and I love her.”

“Will do. Love you, kitten.” Aric blew Adrestia a kiss.

“Love you too, Uncle.” She blew a kiss back seconds before the call disconnected.

She turned back to the bes’bev. Grey to match her eyes with emerald green inlay. It had to be from Torian.

It had to be.

Hope sparked in her chest.


	25. Chapter 25

Shae frowned at her security screens. “A Jetii?” What was a Jedi doing at her compound? “Valk, Jos, you’re up.”

Valk and Jos nodded, donning their helmets.

Shae watched as the Jedi and her droid companion defeated the rancor.

This Jedi wasn’t that bad.

#

Adrestia suppressed a sigh. She only wanted to talk to Shae Vizla, not fight her.

“I just want to talk.” She spoke quietly. “Teeseven, is that so hard to understand?”

Teeseven beeped in agreement.

“Meet Valk and Jos. You wanna get to me, you have to beat them first.” A woman spoke over a loudspeaker.

Adrestia groaned, watching as two Mandalorians descended from the air. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

She ignited her lightsaber.

#

Shae’s frown deepened. A Cathar Jedi with a pink lightsaber? Or was it fuchsia? And was the Jedi’s fur and mane grey? 

“It couldn’t be?” Shae couldn’t believe it.

#

Shae studied the Jedi across from her. It was Addy alright. Torian’s cyar’ika. 

“I just want to talk.” The Jedi was saying, she sounded annoyed, as if fighting her way to Shae had been troublesome.

Shae snorted. “I’ll talk if you can defeat me.”

Shae wanted to test this Addy. Find out if the Jedi really had the warrior spirit that Torian was so convinced of.

“Very well.” Addy sighed. 

#

“Are we done?” Adrestia eyed Shae.

“We’re done.” Shae couldn’t stop the pride or happiness in her voice. Torian’s Addy was a great warrior.

“Wonderful.” Adrestia clipped her lightsaber to her belt. “What do you know about the Revanites?”

“Not much. Only that they have a fleet of ships somewhere in orbit.” Shae honestly didn’t know more.

Adrestia nodded. “Thank you.” Bowing, she turned to leave.

“Jetii, what’s your name?” Shae asked, wanting to make sure. She didn’t know how many grey Cathar Jedi with pink lightsabers there were.

“Adrestia.” Adrestia answered. “I’m Jedi Knight Adrestia.”

Shae couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her face. “Well, it’s a pleasure to have met and fought you, Jedi Knight Adrestia.”

“You can call me Tia if you want.” Adrestia offered, deciding that Shae Vizla was a woman she wanted as a friend. “My friends call me Tia.”

Shae smirked. “Alright, Tia it is.”

“Thank you for your help, Shae.” Adrestia bowed again.

“No problem.” The Mandalorian watched as Adrestia and her droid walked away.

“Wasn’t that the woman that Torian was talking about?” Jos whispered.

Shae nodded. “Yep.”

Jos grunted.

Shae couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her face as a mischievous idea took root. Knight Adrestia had a bes’bev slung across her belt and had the entire time the Cathar was in the compound.


	26. Chapter 26

"Thanks for helping, Shae.” Adrestia was so pleased that the Clan Vizla showed up to help take out Revan.

Shae inclined her head. “Couldn’t miss the fight.”

Adrestia chuckled. “It was a good fight.”

“It was. And when you go against the Emperor for real, you know who to call.” 

“The Republic military?” Adrestia teased.

Shae blinked in surprise before bursting into laughter. “Sure. If you want to lose.”

The two women shared a laugh.

“Oh, there’s going to be a celebration of our victory tonight everybody is invited.” Shae clapped Adrestia on the shoulder.

“I’m invited?” Adrestia looked confused. “But I’m a Jedi.”

“You’re a warrior.” Shae shrugged. “We fought together. We bled together. You’re invited to the party.”

“Oh, well in that case, I’d love to attend.” Adrestia staggered as Shae clapped her hard on the back. 

“Excellent!” Shae walked away.

Adrestia blinked after her. “But I don’t know when the party starts.”

#

Torian couldn’t believe he helped defeated Revan. The Revan.

It was a bummer that the Emperor that was supposedly killed came back to life. But still, that was a problem for tomorrow.

“Torian!” Shae called him over.

“Yes?” Torian asked.

“You sent your Addy a bes’bev right? Grey with emerald inlay?” She was looking at him with a strange look in her eyes.

“Yes.” 

Shae nodded before walking away.

Torian’s face scrunched in confusion. What was that about?

#

Adrestia had no clue how she’d been talked into a drinking contest with Valk or four other Mandalorians, but she wasn’t about to lose. It was matter of pride at this point.

“You’re impressive for an outsider.” Valk burped.

“Thanks.” Adrestia downed another shot of tihaar. “What is this? I love it!”

Valk and the other Mandalorians laughed.

“Just drink more!” Valk commanded.

Adrestia laughed and drank more.

#

Torian wandered the party, amazed at the way the Republic and Empire put aside their differences to party with Mandalorians. Although, things were slightly tense from the Jedi camp.

Or, well, he amended, most of the Jedi. There was one Jedi, the one that fought side by side with Shae to take down Revan that was having a wonderful time if the laughter from Valk’s table was any indication.

“Tia! Tia!” Valk and the other Mandos started chanting.

Torian glanced over to see who Tia was. 

“Must be the Jetii.” He mumbled to himself.

Whoever Tia was, ze had a bottle tihaar and ze were chugging it straight. Torian felt his eyebrows raise in pleased surprise. 

“Well, there’s one Jetii that likes us.” He chuckled and made to approach the table.

His grin growing when a cheer sounded at the table and the surrounding area. Tia had finished the bottle of tihaar and hadn’t vomited.

“Seriously?” Tia burped. “What is this?” 

Valk laughed. “It’s tihaar.”

“Where can I get some?” Tia asked.

Torian frowned. He recognized that voice. “Addy?”

#

Adrestia loved tihaar. It was delicious. And it hadn’t taken as much coaxing as it should’ve from Valk and the other Mandos for her to upend an entire bottle down her gullet.

“Where can I get some?” Adrestia asked.

Valk opened her mouth to answer when a tentative male voice spoke from behind her.

“Addy?”

Adrestia slowly turned, her eyes widened in surprise, her grey gaze meeting Torian’s equally shocked eyes. “Torian?”

They stared at each other, the seconds dragging on.

“Hi.” Torian felt it was inadequate. 

“Hi?” Adrestia frowned. “That’s all you have to say to me? Hi?”

Torian blinked. “Yes?”

Adrestia growled, slamming the empty bottle on the table she shoved herself away, stalking up to Torian. “You don’t get to say ‘hi’ like nothing happened, burc’ya*.” She poked him hard in the center of his chest. “You never came back.”

“I wanted to come back! I couldn’t!” Torian placed his hands on her arms, she shrugged him off.

“Right because what could stop a Mando from getting what he wants?” She growled again. 

Torian growled in response but kept his mouth shut.

Adrestia scoffed and turned, walking away.

“Hey!” Torian cried, following her. “We’re not done talking.”

“Oh? Were we talking?” Adrestia threw over her shoulder, speeding up.

“We were, yeah.” Torian started jogging, his much longer legs closing the distance between then quickly.

“Well, tough, because I don’t want to talk to you.” She sniffed and started walking in another direction.

Torian grunted in frustration. “Well too damn bad, because you’re going to hear what I have to say.”

Adrestia sniffed again and started walking in another direction.

Torian sighed and kept up. “Addy! Will you stop and talk to me?”

“No.” She turned in a different direction. She wanted to leave the party. Get as far away from Torian as she could.

#

Shae offered a drink to Darth Marr and Grandmaster Satele, both declined.

“I was unaware one of your Mandalorians knew Knight Adrestia.” Satele observed.

“Yeah.” Shae laughed. “They met on Taris.” Shae’s smile grew as she watched how Adrestia kept trying to walk away from Torian only for him to follow her. “They have a history.”

“Indeed.” Satele replied.

The three of them watched as Adrestia ran from the party, Torian hot on her heels.

“Reminds me of Torian’s father and mother.” Shae observed.

#

The Mandalorians at the party were watching as Torian chased Adrestia throughout the party, the two of them yelling at each other.

It was hilarious.

#

“Addy!” Torian caught up to her. “Talk to me!”

Adrestia spun around, punching Torian in the nose. “You never showed!”

Torian felt his nose, it was broken. “I had a good reason.”

Adrestia huffed, crossed her arms and glared at him. “And it was?”

Torian reached out to grab her, she stepped out of reach. Sighing, his arms fell to his sides.

“The woman I used to travel with. She threatened to have you killed by turning you in to the Sith. I didn’t tell her about you!” He answered. “She found out about you from security footage on Voss and tortured the cyborg that traveled with us to find out all information on you.”

Adrestia sniffed. Torian scented like he was telling the truth. “And you couldn’t send me word?”

“She had my datapad monitored. Every time I used it she’d know what I used it for.” Torian wanted, needed to touch Adrestia. It’d been almost three years.

She sniffed again. Again, Torian scented like he was telling the truth. “Are you the one that sent me all those gifts?”

“Yes.” he breathed. Did that mean she forgave him?

“Thank you. I really like them.” She sniffed and turned away. She wasn’t going to cry.

“Addy.” He took half a step forward, when she didn’t step away again, he reached out, his hands landing on her shoulders. “Please, forgive me.”

Adrestia met his gaze. He scented sorry and his eyes screamed it. “I forgive you.” 

She squeaked when Torian pulled her into a hug. 

“Thank you!” He buried his nose in her mane, breathing in her scent. She smelled better than he remembered. And she had her hair swept up using the green ribbon he sent her. “You're wearing the ribbon.”

“Yeah, well, it’s pretty.” Adrestia spoke into his chest.

She felt his laughter rumbling his chest.

It was a few more minutes until she wrapped her arms around him, hugging Torian back.

“Addy,” His hand cupped her cheek, eyes searching her face.

“Torian?” She sighed, nuzzling his hand.

Groaning, Torian crashed his lips to hers, quickly backing her into the nearest boulder.

#

Theron was looking for Adrestia.

“Lana, have you seen Tia?” He asked his Sith counterpart.

Lana turned her golden eyes to Theron, and he thought he read a bit of pity in them. “Knight Adrestia has left the party.”

“Did she go back to her tent?” Theron asked.

Lana shook her head. “I do not think so.”

Theron frowned. “I’ll check.”

“Theron, she left with a Mandalorian.” Lana believed in the truth, even hurtful truth.

Theron’s frown deepened. “I’ll check her tent anyway. Thanks, Lana.”

Lana inclined her head.

#

“Torian!” Adrestia whined, her hands in Torian’s shirt, her legs around his waist, his lips on her pulse, his hands down her pants. “Please!”

“Anything.” Torian lifted her, beginning to carry her to his tent.

“Torian?” Adrestia buried her face in his chest, embarrassed.

“Don’t worry. I’m staying a little away from the others.” He pressed a kiss to her hair. “They won’t see you.”

She relaxed. “Alright.”

#

Theron frowned, hands on his hips. Adrestia wasn’t in her tent, on her ship, or with her crew. Where was she?

#

Torian was proud of his tent. It was homey. Or he’d describe it as such. And it was better with Adrestia in it with him.

“Addy?” He pressed her to the sleeping bag.

“Torian?” Her eyes were passion glazed as she gazed up at him.

“Do you want this?” She had a lot of tihaar.

“I’m not drunk.” Adrestia exclaimed. “And I want this.” She rolled her hips against him. “I want you.”


	27. Chapter 27

Groaning, Torian pulled her in for a kiss, teeth and tongues clashing.

“Addy,” Torian rasped, hands bunching in her shirt, “please!”

“Anything!” Growling, she nipped at his lips, her hands ripping his shirt in two.

Torian moaned, his hands tearing her shirt off, both of them heedless about clothing, the urgent need to feel skin on fur overriding everything else.

“Bid mesh’la!” Torian gasped as her clothes fell away, revealing a ripped body covered in fur, her chest heaving as she gazed at him. 

Both of them had gotten more fit in the past three years. 

Adrestia purred low in her throat, claws trailing down his chest, her eyes drinking in his form. “Torian!” She keened his name, body arching into his. “Gedet’ye!”

Gazing down at her, eyes locking, he saw the amount of want and need in her eyes, knowing it reflected his own.

“As you wish.” He whispered, kissing her, slamming himself into her, swallowing her cry in his mouth.

#

Theron hesitantly approached Darth Marr, Grandmaster Satele, and Shae. He needed to ask them where Adrestia was. 

His gaze flickered between the three before finally deciding Shae was the safest.

“Hey, Shae, have you seen Tia?” Theron coughed to cover up his sudden nerves, trying to ignore his mother’s gaze boring into him.

“She left the party about an hour ago. With Torian.” Shae shrugged.

“Torian?” Theron asked.

Shae nodded. “Yeah. Looks like they were going to have a serious conversation.”

“They were arguing.” Darth Marr intoned.

“Like I said, they were having a serious conversation.” Shae smirked.

“About what?” Theron wanted to know how Adrestia would know a Mandalorian that wasn’t Shae. 

Shae looked Theron up and down, studying him. “She’s not for you, Shan.”

Theron blinked at her. “What?”

“Tia. She’s not for you.” Shae clapped Theron on the shoulder, an apology. “Lana on the other hand, she’s for you.”

With that cryptic remark, Shae walked away, leaving a vastly confused Theron behind.

“Shae is interesting.” Satele said eventually.

Darth Marr and Theron both grunted as a response.


	28. Chapter 28

Torian needed to see a healer or a medic about his broken nose. He didn’t want to ask Adrestia because he was afraid that if she healed him, then he’d lose the proof of their love making. His body ached in the best way from her scratches and bites.

Quietly, he slipped off the cot, smiling at her mewl of displeasure, her hands automatically seeking him out, only finding his pillow before growling in displeasure and holding the pillow to her face. He chuckled breathlessly as she nuzzled his pillow.

“Addy,” he leaned over pressing his lips to her face, amazed that he could get out of his bed without waking her but not wanting her to wake up. And he wasn’t about to leave without telling her. “Addy.” Breathing in her scent, he wondered if climbing back into bed with her was better than getting healed.

“Torian?” Adrestia purred his name, eyes popping open, a shy grin on her face.

“I’m going to go see a medic about my nose.” 

She yawned and nodded. “Bring back caf.”

“Ok.” Torian watched as she stretched before rolling over, her face buried in his pillow before falling back asleep.

He could get used to this, waking up with her beside him. And without Soggeva, it was a very real possibility.

For the first time in three years, Torian felt hope blossom in his chest.

#

Theron frowned as he looked for Adrestia in the breakfast tent. She still wasn’t there. Kira and the rest of the crew had no idea where she was either.

Not that it really mattered, Adrestia could take care of herself. Although only twenty-one she was the most powerful Jedi he had ever seen. Outside of his own mother and Master Zho that is.

Maybe Adrestia went off to meditate? She did that after some battles. She went to be alone and just think and commune with the Force or whatever it was Jedi did.

Theron was trying not to worry. He noticed himself beginning to develop proper feelings for Adrestia despite both of them knowing their relationship wouldn’t work.

“Torian! Where’d you get those bite marks?” A random Mandalorian voice called out, snapping Theron’s attention.

Theron looked up from his own breakfast to see a red-headed Mandalorian saunter into the tent. The SIS agent cringed at what he saw. The Mandalorian had been attacked by something if the bite and scratch marks were any indication.

“None of your business, Jogo.” Torian, the red-headed Mandalorian, said with a roll of his eyes.

The other Mandalorians and Jogo laughed. 

“Looks like you got attacked by a wild animal.” One of the Mandalorians said.

“Did you bother to fight her off or did you give as good as you got?” Another asked, winking at Torian.

Torian ignored his fellows and decided to head to the caf stand.

Theron’s eyes watched him. Torian. Wasn’t that the name of the Mandalorian Adrestia left the party with last night? The one she’d argued with?

#

Jogo, Corridan, Marty, and Frank all watched as Torian poured himself two cups of caf.

“I wasn’t aware Torian was a two cups of caf at once kind of guy.” Frank said, waggling his brow ridges.

“I think one is for the wildcat he spent the night with.” Corridan smiled, pleased that his little brother in all but blood finally got what he wanted.

The other three Mandalorians laughed at Corridan’s statement.

“He’ll sport some embarrassing scars; do you think he’ll tell others about them during show and tell?” Marty asked.

“They’re not embarrassing. They’re Marks of honor. He held his own against the wildcat. Of course, he would tell others about them. It’s proof he’s a great warrior with loads of **_prowess_**.” Corridan stared at Torian, willing his friend to listen to the conversation.

“Prowess?” Jogo shrugged. “I think you mean valor, Corridan.”

“Valor? No. Torian has true daring!” Marty stood up, banging a fist on his chest. “Only Torian would be daring enough to take her on! Wear her Marks like the true man of prowess that he is.”

The four Mandalorians burst into laughter.

“Are you guys done?” Torian inquired, taking a sip of his caf.

“Oh Great Warrior Torian, man of prowess, valor, and daring. How are you hanging today?” Frank chuckled.

“Or, is he standing at attention?” Jogo stated seriously, only the glint in his eyes giving him away.

“I’m not going to answer that. If you need me, holo me.” Torian shook his head before leaving the tent.

“It’s at half-mast.” Corridan answered before he snorted a laugh and banged his forehead on the table.

The three other Mandalorians burst into raucous laughter. Jogo fell out of his chair.

#

Theron tried and failed to block out the four Mandalorians from the next table. How could Mandalorians be so damn chipper in the morning? There should be a law about a warrior culture being so damn chipper or nice or pleasant. Weren’t Mandalorians supposed to be blood thirsty asshats?

But they weren’t. Or, at least Clan Vizsla, Clan Ordo, some of Clan Fett, and all of Clan Cadera weren’t blood thirsty asshats.

“Do you think we’ll see Torian at all today while we pack up or do you think he’ll go back for rematch?” Marty asked into his caf.

Theron had learned the names of the four Mandalorians against his will. He didn’t want to remember names, remember that Mandalorians had names and faces. The SIS agent wanted Mandalorians to continue to be the faceless enemy.

“Considering how he’s bringing her caf, rematch.” Frank answered, guffawing at his own joke.

“Guys, guys,” Corridan’s soothing voice broke through the laughter, “we have to remember that Torian is only newly minted a warrior, a man of great prowess, he tamed a wildcat after all. We should be more respectful.”

There was a moment of silence before they all burst into laughter again.

Theron sighed and pinched the skin on his forehead. Mandalorians should definitely not be this chipper and joking about sex over breakfast.

Wait.

Theron’s mind finally caught up.

They were joking about sex. Specifically, Torian having sex. 

Torian, the Mandalorian that Adrestia left the party with. 

Torian, the man that battled a wildcat.

Oh, Theron was going to make sure his table neighbors paid for referring to Adrestia as a wildcat but first he had to talk to Adrestia. Maybe the Mandalorians were lying?

#

Adrestia sat curled up in Torian’s lap, lovingly licking the Marks she left on his skin.

“I can try and just heal your nose.” She offered, sucking on the worst one, the one over the pulse in his neck.

Torian moaned, arching his neck into her mouth. “Does it still feel like I’m being cut with tiny knives?”

He remembered that. Adrestia had healed him after accidentally electrocuting him with black lightning twice. He had to bite a pillow to keep from screaming. But it had been less painful than the time she healed him on Taris.

“Now it feels like a weight pressing on your chest slowly crushing you to death.” Adrestia nipped at his lips.

“Oh, well, in that case.” He smiled, hand wrapping around her skull to pull her in for a heated, lazy kiss. “You can heal my broken nose. But nothing else.”

Adrestia closed one eye, scrunching up her face. “I will try to only heal your nose.”

“Good enough.” Torian kissed her one last time before leaning back, readying himself for the torture that was Adrestia Force-healing him.

Adrestia cooed at him, her hands delicately placed over his nose. She calmed herself, going into an almost meditative state.

It was sometime later, she sighed, her hands falling away. 

“There.” She was exhausted. Healing others exhausted her.

“Thanks.” Torian smiled happily up at her, his arms catching her before she fell off his lap. “Here, have a nap.” 

“I have to get ready to leave.” Adrestia could barely keep her eyes open, even despite the caf.

“It can wait. Have a nap. I’ll be right here the entire time.” He stroked her mane.

Adrestia purred, snuggling up to Torian, her chin resting on his shoulder, her legs on either side of his hips, her arms loosely around his waist. “Alright.” Nuzzling his neck, she fell asleep.

#

Theron kept a watchful eye on Torian’s tent. The Mandalorian had his tent situated a little away from the main Mandalorian camp, closer to the Jedi camp honestly, so Theron was able to spy and have no one know.

Or, well, the Jedi and the Sith kept looking strangely at him.

But, whatever.

#

“Torian!” Adrestia purred, her hips undulating as she rode him, her hands grasping the back of his head and neck. “Ngh!”

“Cyar’ika,” Torian gasped, hands guiding her hips up and down his length.

She woke up aroused and since she was already naked, all Torian had to do was unbuckle his pants. He barely freed himself when Adrestia impaled herself on him.

“Torian, gedet’ye!” She whined, teeth scraping against the side of his face.

“Anything.” Torian tilted his head to the side, revealing his neck.

Adrestia bit down on his neck and they both orgasmed.

He came back to himself with her cooing endearments at him, licking the blood away from his neck.

“Are you alright with me biting you every time we have sex?” She asked, kissing his jaw.

Torian nodded. “It makes it better.”

She purred, hugging his closer, pressing her body against him. “It does.”

Theron hated it when Adrestia bit him during sex. Said it pulled him out of the moment and only pained him. Then he complained about the medical bills of trying to get rid of Adrestia’s bite marks before he went on a job. Couldn’t have evidence of a lover, Theron would say. Might blow his cover.

Speaking of Theron.

“Torian, I have a confession.” She pulled away; hand wrapped loosely around his neck.

“Yeah?” Torian didn’t like the look in her eyes.

“I’m technically seeing somebody.” She met his green eyes. “We started dating around a year ago.” She swallowed thickly and waited.

“Is it serious?” Torian frowned. 

“No. At least, not for me. And not for him either, he just won’t admit it.” She sighed. “I’m sorry I didn’t wait for you.”

“No, it’s alright. I understand.” Torian did understand. “I was with Soggeva for the last three years.”

Adrestia shook her head. “That’s different. That was blackmail and rape, you didn’t want her. You didn’t purposely go out and chose her after being hurt.”

Torian searched her face. She was correct of course. His relationship with Soggeva was based entirely on blackmail and although Torian willingly entered in a relationship with the Twi’lek to save Adrestia, every time he and Sogeeva had sex it was rape because Torian never wanted to have sex but Soggeva forced him to by threatening Adrestia.

“It’s over now?” Adrestia asked quietly. “You’re no longer with her?”

“I haven’t been for a while now. Since Rishi.”

Adrestia and Torian gazed at each other. “Torian, are you still willing to be a part of my crew? Will your other Mandalorians be mean to you again?”

“No. They respect you. Shae loves you. If I go with you, they’d understand.”

“Why?” 

“Because you saved my life twice, Addy. I have a life-debt to you.”

“Is that the only reason you’d go with me?” She didn’t want Torian to be with her because she saved him.

“No!” Torian soothed her agitation with his hands. “No. I’d go with you because I love you.”

Her breath hitched; eyes intense as she gazed deeply into his eyes. “You love me?”

“Yes.” He admitted. 

Neither of them breathed.

“Since when?”

“Since Voss.”

It was another few tense seconds, the worst seconds of Torian’s life before she kissed him.

“I love you too.” Her hands were gentle as she stroked his face while they kissed.

Love. This is what love felt like.

#

“Tia!” Theron finally caught Adrestia talking to her crew and her fellow Jedi.

“Oh, hey Theron.” She smiled absently at him, her eyes distant.

“Where have you been?”

She sighed, hands on her hips and looked up at him. “Theron, we need to talk.”


	29. Chapter 29

“I was just the rebound?” Theron couldn’t believe his ears.

“If you’d like to think of it that way, but you weren’t.” Adrestia frowned up at him.

Theron blinked at her. The last year meant nothing to her? He always knew that Jedi were emotionless, but this was too far. Even by Jedi standards.

“I honestly liked you, Theron, but I don’t love you.” She was trying to be nice and not cause a scene.

Grandmaster Satele and Darth Marr were gone, but there was still a delegation of Republic, Imperial, and the Mandalorian camp. She understood Theron’s pride, she was trying to not bruise it. 

“You like me?” Theron scoffed. “Really? Is that what you call fucking?”

Adrestia growled. “Don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it! You were the one that pursued me. Not the other way around. You knew from the beginning what our relationship was.”

“There’s a difference though. I knew that we were to be a secret, I never knew that I was just a placeholder in your life.” Theron hissed.

“You weren’t a placeholder! And it’s not my fault you don’t believe me.” Adrestia turned and made to walk away. Theron’s hand wrapped around her wrist stopped her.

“We are not done talking. I need to know why you all of a sudden decide to dump me. Is it because of Torian?” He knew the truth when her eyes widened.

“What do you know about Torian?”

“Enough.” Theron yanked her to him. “A Mando, Tia? Really? He’s the enemy to both the Jedi and the Cathar. How could you betray everything you stand for?”

Adrestia’s throat rumbled with a growl. “That was three hundred years ago, Theron. Or should we blame you for what Revan did? Is it your fault the Emperor wasn’t killed? Is that what we’re doing now? Blaming descendants of people that caused the real problem?”

“It’s not the same thing and you know it!”

“No, what Revan did was a worse fuck up then the Mandalorians wanting to test themselves against the best warriors in the galaxy. Whatever else, Cathar are fantastic warriors. We always have been, and we always will be. The Mandalorians only wanted to sharpen themselves against the best warriors. It’s why the Mandalorians don’t have an issue with me being Jetii. They admit that Jedi are fantastic warriors and they love testing themselves against us.”

“Do you hear yourself? You’re rationalizing genocide!” She was even using their words.

“It wasn’t a genocide! Read a fucking history book, Theron. The Mandos didn’t go to Cathar to eradicate the entire species, they went to have an honorable battle.” Black lightning crackled up her arm. It only ever manifested when she was truly angry now. “Genocide is what the Jedi did to the Sith race. You remember that, Theron? The species that gave way to the Sith Order after the Jedi waged a complete eradication campaign against that species? Or is that another thing that you purposely gloss over? Something to ignore because the Jedi were the villains.”

“That’s not what this is about!” He hissed. “You’re breaking your vows over a Mando!”

“I broke my vows over an SIS agent and yet you didn’t complain the entire time.” Adrestia closed her eyes. “Or, is it only alright to break vows because you’re with the Republic? Is that why you’re not mad at your mother for breaking her vows?”

Theron scoffed. “You’re just like your mother. Leaving the Republic to go fuck some Imp. You’ve fallen, you just don’t realize it yet.”

Adrestia growled, her entire body crackling with the black lightning. She snatched her hand out of Theron’s grasp before she could hurt him. Despite him being an absolute asshole, she was not about to hurt him.

Opening her mouth to say something she was cut off by a fist coming out of nowhere to punch Theron in the face.

“You apologize. Now.” Torian stood between Theron and Adrestia, glaring down at the SIS agent on the ground.

#

Torian knew Adrestia could take care of herself, that’s why he only watched as Adrestia and Theron Shan had a heated if whispered conversation at the edge of the camp.

And it wasn’t until Theron insulted her mother -Torian might’ve slowly moved forward just in case Adrestia needed backup- and he saw black lightning crackle over her body that Torian stepped between them.

He never knew punching somebody in the face could feel so good. “You apologize. Now.”

Theron Shan may be older than Torian by several years, maybe smarter too, but Torian would win in a fight.

“Torian,” Adrestia wrapped her arms around his middle, “don’t.”

“He insulted you, cyar’ika.” Torian growled.

“He’s hurt and embarrassed.” Adrestia slowly moved around Torian, her arms never leaving his waist. Turning his chin to look at her, Torian noted her regret. “It’s fine. Give him some time and he’ll get over it. Please.”

Torian sighed. “For you, anything.”

Adrestia chirped at him before standing on her tiptoes and pressing a kiss to Torian’s chin. “Is your kit all packed?”

Torian nodded. “And on your ship. Shae wants to talk to you before we leave.”

“I’ll go talk to her now.” Her hand stroked down Torian’s cheek. “No fighting. Please?”

“I promise I will not start it.” That was all Torian could promise.

She giggled. “I’ll be right back.”

Without looking at Theron, she walked away.

Theron stared after Adrestia, heart breaking, before turning to gaze up at Torian. “I didn’t mean to upset her.”

“I don’t care.” Torian crossed his arms.

Theron sighed, making to stand up when Torian’s hand was thrust in his face.

“She told me not to fight.” Was all the Mandalorian said.

Theron mentally shrugged, accepting the hand up. “Thanks.”

“I didn’t do it for you.” Torian walked away, heading towards Adrestia’s ship.


	30. Chapter 30

Adrestia could feel Lord Scourge’s disapproval as she gave Torian a tour of the ship.

“And this is the crews’ quarters.” She finished.

“Right.” Torian glanced around, his brow furrowing when he didn’t see his stuff. “Where’s my kit?”

“Ah, yes,” she looked away, tucking a strand of mane behind her ear, “you’re going to be in my room.”

Torian grinned at her. “Really?”

She nodded, chewing her bottom lip. “Is that alright?”

“It’s fine!” His hands rubbed her shoulders in reassurnace. “It’s great. It’s the best.”

“Good.” She nipped at his wrist. 

“I don’t think he should be sleeping with you, Jedi.” Lord Scourge frowned down at both of them.

“Why not?” Adrestia turned, wrapping Torian’s arms around her waist.

Scourge sneered. “He’s a distraction.”

“Oh?” Adrestia growled. “Torian is the best tracker, a good portion of the Mandalorians recommend him, he’s an excellent fighter and sniper. He has battle sense and since he’s Mandalorian we’ll have a wider demographic to help us try and find Vitiate.” She took a menacing step towards the Sith. “And he’s mine. He sleeps in my room.”

Scourge took a step back, out of fear, out of reverence, Torian wasn’t sure, before bowing his head in submission. “As you wish.”

Adrestia sniffed before patting Scourge on the arm. “It’s sweet that you’re trying to protect me and stuff but Torian’s different. You’ll see.” She grinned up at the Sith before turning around, grabbing Torian’s hand and leading him back to her room. “Kira! Take us out, please!”


	31. Chapter 31

Torian was exceedingly nervous. He was about to meet Adrestia’s relatives. Her uncle and aunt.

It was possibly the hardest thing Torian would ever have to do in his short life.

“Addy,” he whispered, touching her face, “what if they hate me?”

Adrestia licked his palm. “It would suck, but their opinion of you won’t make me not love you.”

“Addy, I need the approval of your Clan or we can’t marry.” He realized what he said a second after he saw her eyes widen.

“What?” She gasped.

“Umm, well, I should’ve asked them if I could court you these past three years but well,” he shrugged.

Adrestia blinked up at him. “The gifts were you courting me?”

“I always planned on coming back to you. I had to figure out a way to get Soggeva’s claws out of you first.” His thumb stroked across her lips.

Adrestia purred, yanking his face in for a bruising kiss. 

An amused voice clearing behind them broke the kiss.

Adrestia broke the kiss, giggling as she turned and ran towards a black female Cathar.

“How’s my baby girl?” Nivah asked, pulling Adrestia in for a hug.

“Aunt Nivah, Uncle Aric, I’d like you to meet Torian.” Adrestia waved Torian forward.

Swallowing thickly, Torian took a step forward, his hand clasped tightly in Adrestia’s. It was exceedingly disconcerting to be the sole focus of three Cathar.

Adrestia’s gaze was brimming with happiness, pleased that Torian was finally able to meet her relatives. Nivah’s was full of curiosity, she was clearly sizing Torian up in a calculated manner. Aric’s eyes were full of rage.

“He’s a Mandalorian.” Aric growled.

“He’s a part of my crew.” Adrestia responded.

Another growl rumbled in Aric’s chest.

Torian swallowed, but slowly moved himself so he was standing between Aric and Adrestia, pushing her off to the side. If Aric was going to launch himself at Torian, Torian wouldn’t let Adrestia get caught in the attack.

Nivah noticed the movement, so did Aric. Nivah smiled, pleased, inclining her head. Aric narrowed his eyes.

“Let me talk to him alone.” Aric and Torian locked eyes.

Adrestia opened her mouth but Nivah shook her head.

“Let your uncle talk to him.” Nivah pulled Adrestia away from Torian. “Come have a drink with me while they get to know each other. I can shoot either from the bar if it comes to that.”

Adrestia looked to Torian, he nodded minutely at her, indicating it was alright. She nodded back and let her aunt drag her towards the cantina bar.

Torian watched as Adrestia and Nivah remained unmolested before turning back to look at Aric.

“So, Torian,” Aric started, “tell me about yourself.”

Torian swallowed.


	32. Chapter 32

Aric and Torian stared at each other.

The older man was reading Torian in a way only a veteran warrior could. Torian knew he’d respect Aric Jorgan if they ever met on the battlefield. The Cathar would offer Torian an honorable fight and death.

“You took up position between us, pushing her to the side. Why?” Aric referenced a few minutes earlier. Before Nivah took Adrestia to the bar, when Aric realized Torian was a Mandalorian, an enemy of Cathar.

“I didn’t want her to fight her family over me.” Torian didn’t want Adrestia to choose between him and her Clan. He’d rather cut off his own hands than force her to make that decision.

“Why not?” Aric was asking the hard questions.

Torian swallowed. “It’s wrong. Clan is everything. I’m not worth the rift her fighting you would cause.”

Aric nodded, accepting that answer. “How do you see your future with her?”

“I fight by her side. Love her. Die with her. If not, start a family, raise warriors if that’s what she wants.” That’s what Torian wanted. That’s what he’s always wanted.

“She’s a Jedi. You’re Mandalorian.”

Torian jerked his chin. “Correct.”

“Isn’t Jedi anathema to your culture?”

Torian shook his head. “We admire and want warriors. Jedi are warriors. We like sharpening ourselves against the best warriors, Jedi fall under that category. Cathar Jedi even more.” He swallowed.

Aric narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. “Would you ask her to ever stop being a Jedi?”

“What?” Torian reacted as if slapped. “Why would I do that? She’s a Jedi. It’s what she is. I’d never ask her to not be what she was. That’d be like asking her to not be a Cathar.” He gazed at Aric in confusion. 

Aric arched a brow. Torian was telling the truth. The very idea of asking Adrestia to not be a Jedi was anathema to Torian, it offended the Mandalorian to the very core. That made Aric like the young Mandalorian a bit. Just a bit.

“Would you ask her to abandon the Republic to be with you?”

Torian’s gaze sharpened, flashing with offense. “No. She’s a Republic citizen. I’d never ask her to be what she wasn’t. I already told you.”

Aric looked towards the bar where his wife and his niece were talking. He could tell Adrestia was nervous, so was Nivah.

“Would you kill somebody for her? Hunt that person to the end of the universe, rip out their heart and shove it down their throat just because they hurt her, made her cry?” Aric spoke softly, his gaze softening as he gazed at his wife.

“Yes.” Torian answered, his focus also on the two women at the bar. “I love her.”

Aric turned critical eyes to study the Mandalorian once more. “You realize that Jedi aren’t known for marriage.”

“And Mandos aren’t known for letting Jedi live.” Torian deadpanned.

Aric chuckled. “Good point.”

“I only want to marry her if that’s what she wants. As long as she lets me fight beside her, I’ll fight beside her. Dedicate all my fights, all my wins, all my trophies in her honor.”

Aric’s eyes widened. That was a huge thing for a Mandalorian. “You’d be alright with her never marrying you?”

“I would love to have her as my wife, but if it wasn’t what she wanted or something she couldn’t do,” Torian turned serious eyes to Aric, “as long as she permits me to be by her side, I’ll be happy. It’s more than I deserve.” 

“If she did marry you, Cathar don’t remarry.” Aric found himself liking the Mandalorian. Couldn’t help it. Torian was completely in love with Adrestia and it was hard to not like somebody completely in love with one's niece.

“Life-mate. Yep. I researched it.” Torian chewed his top lip. “Mandalorians do remarry. We honor our dead loved ones with daily remembrance, we recite their names every day. That’s how we honor our deceased spouses, but if she asked me to be her life-mate, I would gladly, **_gladly_**, never remarry.”

“You’d be her life-mate?”

“She need only ask.” Torian stood firm, steel in his gaze.

Aric searched Torian’s face and he believed the Mandalorian. “Alright, you have my blessing to marry her. If that’s what she wants.”

Torian’s jaw dropped in shock. “Really?” He figured it’d take more arguments to convince the older Cathar his affections for Adrestia were true.

Aric grunted. “Yeah. You were willing to protect her from her own family and you’r currently surrounded by people that would gladly see you strung up from the nearest strut.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the crowd in the cantina.

Aric was correct, there were several people glaring murderously at Torian, his armor having marked him for what he obviously was, a Mandalorian warrior.

Torian chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “Thanks?”

Aric shrugged. “No problem. I don’t like that she’s with a Mando, but I can’t deny that you love and want to protect her.”

Torian smiled sheepishly.

“You want a beer? I believe our mates have ordered us drinks.” Aric’s eyes flickered over to the bar where Nivah and Adrestia were sitting.

Both women held drinks with two beer bottles at their elbows.

“I like beer.” Torian felt pleased, he at least got Aric’s begrudging respect.

“Let’s go.” Aric began walking towards the women, his steps lighter the closer he got to Nivah.

“Hey, you didn’t frighten him away, did you?” Nivah ran her hand down Aric’s cheek.

“Take more than that to frighten me away, cyare.” Torian assured Adrestia, pressing a kiss to Adrestia’s temple, wrapping his arms around her.

Adrestia purred and snuggled deeper into his arms.

Nivah hid a grin.

“Well, I like this one better than the spook.” Aric ruffled Adrestia’s mane.

Adrestia stuck her tongue out at her uncle.


	33. Chapter 33

It took Torian a while but Fideltin Rusk had a problem. And that problem was Torian. The Chagrian hated Torian.

Scourge and Kira begrudgingly accepted Torian. Because Adrestia loved Torian and Scourge and Kira wanted Adrestia to be happy.

Teeseven thought Torian was alright for a Mandalorian. Which was fair from Torian’s perspective. Most Mandalorians wouldn’t have thought twice about obliterating the droid and selling it for scrap.

Doc thought Torian’s addition to the crew was hilarious and Doc spent literal hours grilling Torian about Mandalorian monogamy culture and weapons. The doctor wanted to see if he could have a fling with a Mandalorian woman, and was displeased at finding out Mandalorians didn’t really have affairs or flings. And Doc wanted to know about weapons so that he could perfect his medical practice. Thinking that Mandalorian weapons could open up a whole new world of research and ways for him to be lauded as the best doctor in the galaxy.

Torian thought Doc was hilarious.

But Sergeant Fideltin Rusk hated Torian. There was no common ground according to the Chagrian. Torian was the enemy and always would be.

The only reason Rusk hadn’t tried to harm Torian was simply because Adrestia loved Torian.

“Torian!” Adrestia chirped, falling into his lap.

“Addy.” Torian couldn’t care much about anything with Adrestia in his arms.

“I need you to do me a favor.” She licked his nose.

“What’s that?” Torian scrunched his nose, wiggling it, causing her to giggle.

“You and Fideltin need to go deliver something to the Jedi Council for me.” Adrestia nibbled on his ear.

And he couldn’t say no when her lips and teeth were on his ear.

“What am I delivering?” He moaned, pulling her more firmly on his lap.

She purred, nipping along his jaw line towards his lips. “A request.”

“What kind of request?” He angled his head, giving her more access to his neck.

“A surprise.” She cooed, hand petting down his chest.


	34. Chapter 34

Torian and Fideltin waited quietly outside the Jedi Council room on Tython. The other members of Adrestia’s crew were busy doing other things. Doc was once again with the healers, trying to help the Jedi find a way to work with non-Force-sensitive doctors. Scourge was poring over the library again while also in conversation with Qyzen and some Noetikons, whatever those were. Teeseven was getting its weapons calibrated, while Kira and Adrestia were teaching a new batch of Padawans.

“Do you know what’s in the envelope there?” Fideltin grunted.

“I do not.” Torian frowned, no matter how much he made Adrestia pant and moan she hadn’t told him what the favor was.

Fideltin’s usual frown deepened. 

“I agree with whatever’s written in there, though.” Torian was pleased to discover that what he said was true. 

Fideltin narrowed his eyes.

Torian sighed inwardly and the two men lapsed back into awkward silence.

#

Torian stood in front of the Jedi Council and he honestly wasn’t very nervous. It came as a surprise.

“Torian,” Satele Shan smiled kindly at him.

He got the distinct impression that the Jedi Grandmaster knew why Torian was a part of Adrestia’s crew. He wasn’t sure if the Grandmaster cared or not.

“Yes, Grandmaster?” Torian stood at attention.

Satele hid a smile. “Do you know what Jedi Adrestia wrote in this?” She held up the envelope Adrestia wanted delivered.

“No, Grandmaster.” He wished he did.

Satele nodded. “Sergeant Rusk, do you know what’s in this envelope?”

“No, Grandmaster.” Fideltin answered.

Satele nodded again. “It’s a request for a promotion for Sergeant Rusk.”

Torian smiled. It made sense. Adrestia never held a grudge against Fideltin even if the Chagrian hated his assignment.

“Torian, you’re new to the crew, this is why Jedi Adrestia requested your presence here. Do you agree with her request to promote Sergeant Rusk to the rank of Lieutenant?” Satele looked intently at Torian.

Torian felt Fideltin’s stare. 

Frowning, Torian thought about the question. It made sense. He was new to Adrestia’s crew and he didn’t really know anybody other than Doc and Teeseven. Scourge refused to talk to anybody that wasn’t Adrestia or Kira. Kira was too busy trying to be a sophist. But, Torian had watched the way Fideltin handled himself in the field, the way the Chagrian followed orders even if he disagreed which them. Which, the cantankerous Fideltin often disagreed with Adrestia’s orders, but he still followed them.

“I think he does, yes.” Torian answered honestly.

Fideltin did deserve to be a lieutenant. 

Satele and the other Council members waited to see if Torian would elaborate, Torian didn’t.

“Would you care to elaborate?” Baz smiled at Torian.

“Sergeant Rusk has no problem voicing his opinion about a course of action, but he still follows orders. He’s good at improvisation.” Torian supplied.

Baz inclined his head, turning to look at Satele.

Satele was studying the Chagrian. “Thank you, Torian. Thank you, Sergeant Rusk. If you will wait outside the room while we decide.” she indicated the door.

Fideltin saluted. Torian bowed at his waist. And the two men left the room.

Once again, the Mandalorian felt the intense gaze of Fideltin.

“Torian!” Adrestia shouted upon spying the two men.

Torian and Fideltin turned to see Adrestia jogging up to them, Kira trailing behind her.

“Hi!” A grin spread across Torian’s face. He didn’t care if they were in the middle of the Jedi Temple on Tython, he would always smile at Adrestia.

“Sergeant Rusk.” Adrestia greeted the Chagrian sedately.

“Master Jedi.” Fideltin jerked his chin.

“Waiting for the meeting or waiting for the verdict?” Adrestia looked between the two men.

“Verdict.” Torian reached out and pulled a twig from her mane, fingers touching the tip of her ear.

Her eyes closed briefly at the contact before she nodded. “Alright, well, holo me when you find out. I have to get to the next lesson.” She briefly touched Torian’s wrist before jogging off.

Torian watched her jog away, the tail of her ponytail swaying back and forth with the movement.

Fideltin cleared his throat. “You want to cool it with that here.”

Torian turned towards the Chagrian. 

“Jedi.” Fideltin simply answered.

Torian instantly understood. “Right. Thanks.”

#

Walking back to the ship on the orbiting space station around Tython, Torian felt as if Lieutenant Rusk walked with a lighter step.

“Mando,” Fideltin started gruffly, “I’d like to thank you for speaking for me at the Council meeting today.”

Torian shrugged. “It’s no problem. Addy put you up for promotion and I knew she didn’t make the decision lightly. If she thought you deserved the promotion, then you deserved it.” 

Fideltin grunted and they entered the ship in silence.

#

Torian ran his hand through Adrestia’s mane, sweeping it off her neck to place a kiss on her shoulder.

“Thank you for today.” She sighed, turning to face him, the back of her hand stroking down his cheek.

“Why didn’t you tell me that the favor you wanted was for me to vouch for Rusk?” Torian grabbed her hand, kissing her fingers.

“I wanted it to be a surprise, so that the Council could judge your words as truth. If you had any time to think about it, they might take your words as false.” Chirping at him, she snuggled closer.

He nodded. “Understood.”

She purred, kissing him gently on the lips.


	35. Chapter 35

“Ni kar’tayli gar darasuum.”

“Ni kar’tayli gar darasuum.”

Whispered words, panting in the dark.

“Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar’tome, mhi me’dinui an, mhi ba’juri verde.” Breathed against lips.

“Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar’tome, mhi me’dinui an, mhi ba’juri verde.” Punctuated with a featherlight kiss.


	36. Chapter 36

Adrestia literally glowed in her traditional wedding gown.

The wedding was secret, only her crew and Havoc Squad in attendance.

And Torian couldn’t tear his eyes away even if he wanted to. Adrestia was radiant.

He didn’t remember the life-mate ceremony, too busy gazing at his wife. No, his Mate.

Mandalorians remarried. Cathar didn’t. 

But Torian decided. He was Adrestia’s Mate. 

There was nobody else for him. She was it.

#

Adrestia worried her bottom lip. Torian agreed to be her Mate. She had already Marked him. Years ago, on Voss.

But he hadn’t Marked her. He was incapable of it. Human teeth weren’t sharp enough and human jaws weren’t powerful enough to break a Cathar’s skin.

“Stop worrying.” Nivah hugged Adrestia.

“He can’t Mark me.” Adrestia turned her grey eyes to her aunt.

Nivah frowned. “He’ll find a way, precious. He loves you. He won’t let something so trivial stop him.”

Adrestia eyes roamed over her aunt’s face before slowly nodding. Torian would find a way to Mark her. He would.


	37. Chapter 37

Was it against universal law to find the person that brought down the Sith Emperor and Revan so damn adorable?

Torian sure as shit hoped not or else, he’d be in trouble.

Then whoever arrested him would be in trouble. 

Because Adrestia Nyx-Cadera would not let her Mandalorian lifemate go easily. If ever.

Not that he was complaining. Or would complain. Ever.

Especially when she was being exceptionally adorable as she berated the much larger Sith member of her crew.

“Scourge, you are not,” she stomped her foot on the ground in indignation, “going to stop me from going on a hunting trip with Torian.” She crossed her arms and glared.

Torian smothered a laugh. His Adrestia, a firecracker. Too adorable for words.

“Jedi Adrestia, I implore you, please rethink this honeymoon hunting trip.” Scourge’s face soured, as if the mere mention of a honeymoon and the thought of love annoyed him.

It probably did. Scourge had no feelings apparently.

Adrestia growled and stomped her foot again, her hand lingering over the blaster on her hip Torian had been teaching her how to use.

“Addy,” Torian wrapped his arms around his lifemate’s middle, pulling her into his chest, nibbling on an ear, his mirthful green eyes sparking with mischievous joy at the look on Scourge’s face at her purr, “stop arguing and let’s just go.”

Adrestia chirped at him. “I need to find my green hair ribbon; Scourge knows where it is and he won’t tell me.” She pouted and looked up at Torian.

Torian arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

She chewed her bottom lip, a whining quality to her voice. “Riduur, I need it to keep my mane off my neck while I wear the helmet you made me.” She turned in his arms, playing with the skin on his neck.

Torian closed his eyes, swallowing past a suddenly dry throat. Her bare fingers on his neck always did something to him. “I’m sure if you ask nicely, Lord Scourge will offer up your hair ribbon.” He opened his eyes and leveled his own glare at the Sith.

Scourge grunted, rolling his eyes before pulling out an emerald green ribbon from one of his many pockets. “Here.”

Adrestia cooed in happiness, snatching the ribbon with her hand before leaning up and placing a kiss on Torian’s chin before flouncing off the ship.

Torian spent a few seconds watching her hips sway in appreciation. Two-week hunting trip. All to themselves. Only him and Adrestia. It was going to be literal heaven.

Scourge cleared his throat causing Torian’s gaze to snap back to the imposing Sith.

“Mando, I realize that you think you’re safe here, but remember that Tia is both Jedi and Cathar. Other Mandalorians might not be as accepting.” Scourge frowned furiously down at Torian.

Torian felt his eyes widen and his mouth open slightly in shock. Scourge cared about Adrestia. At least a little. The younger man recognized all the telltale signs of concern.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she’s safe.” Torian spoke earnestly.

Scourge growled, narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. “You better. Or I will end your line.”

Torian took the threat as it was. Scourge would make sure there were no Caderas in the entire galaxy if something happened to Adrestia. Torian bristled a bit at the implication but he understood. 

There weren’t many Caderas left. And, if Adrestia died because of Torian’s neglect, then he’d died gratefully at the hands of Scourge. And Torian knew that rest of Clan Cadera -what little there were- would die honorably at the hands of the Sith.

Scourge was, after all, an honorable man. Mostly. There was still that small betrayal of Revan from three hundred years ago but hey, everybody made mistakes.

Torian placed a fist over his heart and bowed. “You have my word. Nothing will befall Adrestia.”

Scourge sniffed and turned, stalking back to the engine room.

“Torian?” Adrestia called up.

“Coming!” Torian called back, a smile replacing the serious mien to his features.

A two-week hunting trip and honeymoon with Adrestia. On Dxun.

He could barely contain his excitement. Especially since he finally figured out how to Mark her.


	38. Chapter 38

Adrestia rather liked hunting the Mandalorian way. It was fun.

Plus, she got to admire Torian’s tracking skills. She couldn’t help but glow in pride at the fact that her lifemate was one of the best trackers in all the Mando’ade.

“Boma.” Torian spoke quietly, pointing in front of him.

Adrestia smiled as Torian scrambled to a higher vantage. Torian fought with an electrostaff but when hunting he preferred rifle.

Her job was to distract the best, since even without using the Force, she had the best reflexes due to being Cathar.

Torian whistled once to indicate he was at the perfect spot.

Adrestia gripped her Cathar warblade - a gift from Corridan upon learning of hers and Torian’s nuptials. She didn’t bother asking where the Mandalorian had gotten the blade - and stepped into the clearing.

Boma weren’t usually this big, and they weren’t that hard to kill, but this trip was supposed to be an introduction to hunting for her.

Growling, she dashed forward, her blade smacking the Boma enough to surprise the animal but not hurt it. No, that was Torian’s job.

Adrestia hissed at the beast as it turned its full attention on her.

The Boma roared and charged, Adrestia stood her ground and fought the beast when it came close enough.

She heard the sound of a bolt leaving the barrel and kick launched herself away from the beast just as it collapsed dead on the ground.

“Cyare, you alright?” Torian’s voice came over the comms.

Adrestia stood, dusting herself off and waved. “I’m fine. Come help me skin this!”

She thought she heard his laughter.

Rolling her eyes, she turned back to the Boma. So far, she was just used as bait. She hadn’t really killed anything yet.

Maybe tomorrow she could kill something.

Something out of the corner of her eye had her turning, expecting to see Torian sneaking up on her.

Only, when she looked nothing was there.

Frowning, she tried to sense what it could possibly be.

Nothing.

The same red thing moved out of the corner of her other eye.

She turned to try and find it, and nothing was there.

Adrestia clutched at the warblade.

“Torian, is your scanner picking up anything?” she tried searching for the red thing with all her senses and came up with nothing.

Another flash of red.

“No, why?” he asked, concern in his voice.

“I-” her words were cut off as she was tackled by a massive body of red scaly skin.

The creature yowled, jaws snapping at her face.

Adrestia growled in return, her claws extending, the warblade knocked out of her hand.

The animal’s back claws dug into her legs. Yowling in pain, Adrestia shoved a clawed hand into the beast’s middle.

The animal snarled but Adrestia was powerful, and finally managed to get her legs on the animal’s stomach. She shoved with all her might, the beast flying off her.

Adrestia and the red beast studied each other.

Both were bleeding from various wounds caused by claws.

The beast snarled and cloaked itself.

Adrestia hissed, eyes narrowing. That’s why she couldn’t sense it. It was Force sensitive.

“Maalraas!” she growled again; her hands poised to rend if the beast came at her again.

And it would. Maalraas weren’t cowards, they’d keep coming back to the prey until it was dead.

She also couldn't use the Force to kill it because Maalraas were immune to the Force, blaster fire, and lightsabers. Not that she had her lightsaber. But her claws could rend and puncture just as well as a blade or knife, also, she had her warblade. Never more thankful for the strange gift. She just needed to get close enough to kill the beast.

Her eyes darted around the clearing, trying to find her warblade, eyes landing on the blade, she made a dash for it only to be tackled by the Maalraas again.

Her hands wrapped around the Maalraas’ throat, preventing the beast’s jaws from snapping around her neck.

Adrestia snarled back at the animal. She was not going to be defeated by a stupid beast on her honeymoon.

Spittle from the Maalraas’ mouth fell on her face as the beast tried to bite her face off.

Adrestia growled, hand tightening around the Maalraas’ throat, her claws extending, her hands scrambling about the animal’s throat, trying to find a pulse point to puncture.

She felt the animal’s claws raking over her body and she yelped in pain when the creature’s claws scratched down her abdomen. The armor both Scourge and Torian picked out was osik. Absolute osik.

The animal snarled as its jaw got closer and closer to her face. The animal was stronger than she was.

But she wasn’t going to lose. It was her honeymoon, damn it.

Growling, her legs wrapping around the animal’s waist, her nails having finally found a vein, she used the Force to imbue her already powerful muscles. She heard the crack of the beast’s ribs, felt the pop of her claws digging into the beast’s skin.

One of her hands grabbed a part of the Maalraa’s throat over the vein and yanked, ripping out a portion of the throat.

Hot blood spattered her face, the beast’s jaws still trying to latch onto her face as the beast slowly died.

Finally, the Maalraas collapsed.

Adrestia heaved a sigh of relief, pushing the beast off her, getting to her feet only to remember that Maalraas run in packs.

“Shit!” she hissed, looking around, claws still unsheathed as she waited for another Maalraas to show itself.

“Cyare?” Torian’s voice had her snapping her head to the side of the clearing.

“Torian!” she cried, launching herself at her lifemate, her hands roaming over his body. “Are you alright, did you run into any Maalraas?”

Torian gently pulled her into a hug. “No. But they said one escaped them.”

Adrestia turned her head to see a group of thirty Mandalorian warriors looking at her in shock.

“Torian?” she clutched closer to Torian. Only Clans Cadera, Ordo, and Vizla knew she and Torian were married.

“It’s alright cyare.” He dropped a kiss to her head. “This is Clan Fett.”

Adrestia frowned but didn’t release her husband.

“You killed it with your bare hands?” The leader of the Mandalorian party breathed.

“Yes.” Adrestia remembered she was covered in blood and stepped away from Torian, her bloody hands trying to clean the blood off his armor.

“You’re a Cathar.” The party leader took off her helmet and frowned, gaze flickering between Torian and Adrestia.

“Mauv, leave it.” Torian barked, his arms wrapping around Adrestia again. “Let’s clean up our kills.” This spoken to Adrestia.

Adrestia glanced between him and Mauv but nodded. 

Torian smiled at her, his hand stroking her cheek before he pulled her over to the Boma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Osik- impolite form of the word dung or shit. And yeah, her armor that Scourge and Torian picked out is exactly shit
> 
> Maalraas - you find them on Dxun and if i remember correctly you can fight them in the Dxun op! Also, Torian mentions them in one of the conversation you have with him as a romanced female bounty hunter. I have no idea if he mentions them with the unromanced female bounty hunter or the male bounty hunter. Torian says Maalraas are known for their mange but the Wookiepedia article didn't mention fur.
> 
> https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Maalraas


	39. Chapter 39

Adrestia hissed as she removed her uniform. Luckily, Maalraas were not venomous.

But she would have to investigate getting new armor.

“Ow, ow, ow!” Some of her leg armor had gotten into her wounds.

She was lucky that her body healed itself with the Force when she wasn’t using it to fight. Another hiss escaped her lips as she peeled her chest armor off. The scratches on her abdomen were deeper.

Now, she just needed to heal quickly so Torian didn’t see. So he didn’t worry and so he didn’t think she was a failure at fighting with only her hands. 

Grimacing, she touched her stomach, looking at the welts. 

Sighing, she closed her eyes, readying herself for meditation.

“Addy?” Torian’s soft voice spoken at their tent entrance.

Starting, she turned a guilty face to him. “Hey.”

He frowned slightly, entering the tent. “Why didn’t you tell me you were injured?”

Chewing her bottom lip, she glanced away. “Injury is failure.”

“Who told you that?”

“My old fighting Master. If an opponent injures you then you failed.”

“That’s stupid.” Torian scoffed. “Any injury you survive is a testament to how you didn’t fail.”

She met his gaze. “I guess.”

Sighing, he sat beside her on the tent floor, his bare hand gliding over her equally bare stomach. “Addy, cyare, Mandalorians prize scars. You lived, you got some scars, and a great story to tell. That’s all we can hope for.”

Adrestia studied his face, the way his red hair flopped over his green eyes, his slight smile as he tried to make her feel less like a failure.

“It’s so hard to wrap my head around that idea, riduur. I wasn’t raised that way.” 

Torian pressed a kiss to her temple. “I know. Just know that I love you and I don’t think you’re a failure because you fought and won against a Maalraas.” He pulled her into his lap. “In fact, I only ran into the Fetts because they were hunting a pack of Maalraas and one got away.”

“The one that attacked me?” Adrestia breathed in Torian’s scent.

“Most likely.” He pressed another kiss to her temple, his hands sliding up and down her arms, over her torso, causing her to shiver in anticipation. “They were actually coming to save you.”

Frowning, she leaned back from him. “Save me?”

“It usually takes about six to ten Mandos to take down one Maalraas.” his eyes were shining with pride and love. “The fact that you, a Cathar, did it by yourself with only your bare hands, well, needless to say you impressed them, and they’ll probably be asking about who you are.”

Adrestia’s frown deepened. “Then they’ll know that it was a Jetii that killed it. They won’t find it so impressive.”

Her lifemate shook his head. “No, we watched the entire fight. You fought honorably.”

She looked down and away. She did use the Force. 

“It counts as a Blooding.” he spoke softly, petting her mane. “You could petition to become a Mandalorian.”

“I don’t know, Torian. Would they accept me?” She was so full of doubt.

He studied her and pulled her in for a tender kiss. “Don’t worry about it. I love you. I’m still going to be married to you even if you don’t become one.”

Cooing in distress she began petting him. “You sure?”

“Positive.” They kissed, the kiss lingering but lacking real heat. “Now,” he said once the kiss broke, “let’s take care of those cuts.”

She giggled and tried to climb off his lap. A firm hand on her hip prevented her.

Looking questioningly at him she felt as Torian lifted her, positioning her to straddle him.

“Lean back on your elbows but stay in my lap.” he directed.

Curious, she did, her legs stretched out behind him as she leaned back on her elbows.

Torian started slowly, his hands massaging her sides. He knew he was doing the right thing when she started purring.

Torian had thought of different ways of trying to Mark Adrestia. She Marked him and he knew it was a point of inner turmoil that he couldn’t Mark her. And it was maddening that he couldn’t think of a way.

Finally, he broke down and called Aric. But one exceedingly awkward and tense conversation later, Torian had figured out a way to Mark Adrestia.

All it took was saliva getting into her bloodstream.

“You know, it’s a great thing that Maalraas aren’t venomous.” He lowered his head, his nose nuzzling the underside of a breast.

“It is.” Her eyes were wide and gazing at him in confusion.

He nipped at her side, causing a moan to fall from her lips.

“Torian?” she arched into his mouth as he sucked a nipple into his mouth through her bra.

His response was to take her bra off and toss it to the side, before his mouth went back to her breasts and his hands went back to petting her.

Adrestia cooed. She and Torian hadn’t been able to be intimate in so long.

Torian gazed up at his lifemate’s face and was pleased at what he saw. Her eyes were glazed with passion, mouth open to allow her gasps and moans to fill the quiet tent.

Giving her nipple one last lick, he began licking and nipping his way down her body until he got to the first cut. This is the part he was unsure of.

Cathar had no problem tasting their Mate’s blood and seemed to get sexual pleasure from the taste during coitus. But, Torian wasn’t used to tasting blood outside of the occasional blood soup Corridan made while hunting.

He stuck his nose right next to her fur and breathed in her scent. She smelled amazing. She always did. 

Adrestia frowned, something was wrong with Torian. He was hesitant. That wasn’t like him. He always knew what he wanted and went after it. And that’s what was ruining her arousal. She didn’t want anything that Torian didn’t want. And he currently wasn’t fully into their possible love making.

“Torian,” she lifted his head up, her thumb stroking his chin, “you want to Mark me?” The only thing that could be wrong with him.

“Yes, your Uncle said that all it takes is my saliva getting into your bloodstream.” He blushed slightly; he was embarrassed he discussed his love life with Aric. 

Adrestia was never gladder Cathar didn’t have visual blushes than this moment. “You and Uncle Aric talked about our sex life?” Her voice was high pitched, more squeak than anything.

“Yes.” Torian blushed deeper, so deep that she could see it even under his tattoo.

She blinked a few times. Could she die from embarrassment? Was that something Jedi did? Just die from acute embarrassment that her lifemate talked to her uncle about sex?

Although, it was literally so sweet that Torian asked Aric how to Mark her. That was adorable and sweet and completely Torian.

She chirped at him, nubbing her nose along his jaw. “Do you have to be so damn adorable?”

“Yes?”

Giggling, she kissed him. “Riduur,” she kissed him again, “I **do** want you to Mark me, but I want it to be something close and personal to you. Not just because a beast got the drop on me. And only if you want to. You don’t have to Mark me if it grosses you out.” Purring, she kissed him a third time, the kiss lingering.

Sighing, he leaned into the kiss, his hands moving to rest on her hips, just holding her in place as they kissed. The kisses weren’t heated, there was no urgency to them, only gratitude that she understood.

“It’s not that it grosses me out, cyare, that-” he didn’t know how to say it.

“Torian, it’s not a part of your Culture and as such, it’s weird. I get it. It’s ok. We’ll do it when you’re ready and not a second before.” Nuzzling his ear, she nipped at his ear lobe. “And it’s alright if you’re never ready.” Her hands cupping his face, she whispered, “I love you,” punctuated by another kiss.

“I love you too.” He bumped her nose with his, but he would be ready. He would be.


	40. Chapter 40

Adrestia was meditating, her back towards Torian, nestled firmly in his lap, her neck exposed as he carved the insignia of Clan Cadera into her skin.

Torian couldn’t believe she was letting him carve it into her skin. It was rare for Mandalorians to carve their Clan’s symbol in their skin, rarer still for spouses to do it.

But it was a way for Torian to Mark her. Something they both wanted.

Wanted more than anything.

Finished, Torian licked the design, his mouth latching onto her, sucking, the coppery tang of her blood on his tongue.

Adrestia gasped, shocked out of her meditative state by Torian’s very talented tongue and mouth.

Mewling, her arms curved backwards, hands wrapping around his skull, panting at the feelings his mouth and tongue invoked in her.

Torian’s hands glided down her shoulders, down her arms, to finally cup her breasts, teasing her nipples.

Adrestia growled wantonly, hips bucking against him.

“Torian!” she purred, claws unsheathing, pricking his skull.

He began kissing up her neck, nibbling on the tip of her ear as he slowly bent her forward, until she was on her hands and knees in front of him, gloriously naked and panting for him. Just for him.

Curving himself around her, he slowly guided himself into her heat, his mouth latching back onto the insignia on her neck, sucking and nibbling the raw skin as he began moving.

Adrestia cried out, arching her back, meeting him thrust for thrust as they worked together, chasing their own orgasms.

#

Adrestia smelled different, sweeter, more attractive.

“Why do you smell so damn good?” he nuzzled her mane, holding her closer.

“You can notice a difference?” one of her eyes popped open and she smiled at him.

“Is that weird?” he asked, hand running through her mane. She was softer too.

“You’re not fully human.” she purred, placing a kiss on his neck. “And I smell so damn good because we’re officially one hundred percent Mated now.” She rolled on top of him, her chin placed on her hands on his chest. “I never knew a human could scent the difference.”

Torian arched an eyebrow. “Well, Mandalorians were originally started by the Taung race which interbred with and accepted many other species. So yeah, I’m not fully human. That bother you?”

She giggled and shook her hand. “No, it’s another facet to you that I get to love.”

He smirked, yanking her in for a kiss. “I love you, wife.”

“I love you too, husband.” Adrestia purred as the kiss ended.


	41. Chapter 41

“I don’t like the idea of you working with Darth Marr.” Aric growled.

“I agree with him, mogget.” Nivah said.

Adrestia frowned and swiveled around in her chair.

Her aunt and uncle were on her ship, to help her talk about her upcoming mission.

“But then he says he found the Emperor.” Adrestia glanced up, meeting the eyes of her aunt and uncle.

They had to know how she felt about the Sith Emperor. He stole months of her life, tortured her, tried to turn her into something she wasn’t. And she couldn’t not kill him.

Not because it was her duty as a Jedi, as the Order’s Battlemaster, but because of revenge. The Emperor deserved to die for what he did to her.

Torian understood. Scourge probably understood.

Kira did not.

Aric and Nivah exchanged looks. They seemed to have one of their many silent conversations until Nivah sighed.

“Havoc should be with you.” Nivah stated.

“I agree but Marr doesn’t even want my crew with me.” Adrestia explained.

Aric growled at that. “If that Sith thinks he can steal another one of my family members-”

Adrestia held up a hand. “He’s not trying to get me to join the Sith, he needs my help to destroy Vitiate.”

Aric growled again.

Torian spoke up for the first time. “Addy needs to do this. We should trust her.”

“We do trust her, Torian, we don’t like the situation. She needs more protection than just Marr.” Nivah answered with an apologetic smile towards Adrestia. “This is Vitiate we’re talking about. The man that made a point to take over her mind, brainwash her. What makes you think he won’t do it again?”

“She’s prepared for it.” came Torian’s simple answer.

“You can’t prepare for that.” Nivah reasoned.

“You can. It’s hard for somebody to take you by surprise if you’re expecting. The hut’uun took her by surprise the first time. He won’t do it again.” Torian’s hand slid into Adrestia’s mane.

Adrestia purred, leaning into her husband’s hand. “He’s right, Aunt. I’m prepared this time. I won’t let Vitiate control me again.”

Nivah and Aric exchanged worried glances. Adrestia was an adult and a Jedi. Somebody that had proven she was capable over and over again.

“Alright, mogget.” Nivah sighed and sat on the edge of Adrestia’s chair, pulling the younger woman into a hug. “We trust you.” She pressed a kiss to Adrestia’s forehead. “But, if you go missing, there is nowhere safe, no rock that I will not overturn, no moon that I won’t blow up to find you.”

Adrestia smiled and bumped her aunt’s chin with her face. “I know. You and Uncle Aric would destroy the entire galaxy for me.”

“No. I’d only blow up some moons. Aric would destroy the entire galaxy.” Nivah snorted.

“She’s right, mogget.” Aric yanked Adrestia into his arms, chirping at her. “I’m not letting my only family go without a fight.”

Adrestia purred and nuzzled her uncle, her purrs increasing when Nivah joined the familial hug.

Torian loved that Adrestia was so close to her family. He’d been afraid that since she was a Jedi, she didn't have any family outside of her little droid when he first met her. Then he learned of her crew, then he finally learned of her uncle. 

Torian yelped, surprised, when Aric’s hand wrapped around his wrist and the older man yanked Torian into the hug.

Torian met Aric’s eyes over Nivah’s and Adrestia’s head and noticed the mirth in the man’s eyes. Mirth and acceptance. It felt so natural when Nivah’s and Aric’s arms moved to wrap around Torian, positioning the Mandalorian in the middle, next to Adrestia in the group hug. Sighing, relaxing, Torian allowed himself to be hugged by the Jorgan Clan.


	42. Chapter 42

Torian yanked Adrestia into his arms, backing her against the wall of the ship. She mewled low in her throat, her arms and legs wrapping around him, already rolling her hips against him, claws pricking his skull.

Growling, he yanked her hands away from his head, trapping them against the wall above her head.

“No!” he rasped, nipping at her ear.

She moaned and pressed herself harder against him.

He chuckled, transferring her hands to one of his, his now free hand roaming over her still clothed body. 

Giving her a bruising kiss, he began tearing her clothes off, a panting moan falling from her lips with every rip and tear.

“Torian,” she felt like she was on fire, “gedet’ye!”

His response was growl and bit into her shoulder, grinding against her as his free hand teased and petted her.

Adrestia mewled in want. “Gedet’ye!”

Torian was still fully clothed and he didn’t seem in a rush to have sex. It was torture.

“Torian!” she mewled again, testing his grip on her hands.

Grinning, he kissed and nipped his way to the shoulder he carved his insignia on. When his mouth latched onto her shoulder, she cried out, her legs spasming around his waist.

His free hand traveled down her chest, fingers light and teasing on her fur, as he reached for the zipper of his pants. Something about having his wife naked, pressed against a wall, wanting, and willing in his arms while he was fully clothed turned him on. It only turned him on because it turned Adrestia on.

He only ever did things that turned her on.

Finally, freed, he felt her slick heat against the tip of his cock and he groaned as he rubbed against her.

Adrestia purred. “Gedet’ye, Torian!” she mewled.

“Cyare,” he whispered against her lips as he finally slid into her.

Both moaned at the feeling.

“I love you.” Adrestia licked his face.

“I love you too!” Torian nipped at her chin, beginning to move.


	43. Chapter 43

Adrestia felt Marr’s annoyance as she called for everybody aboard his flagship to get to the escape pods. 

But they weren’t her and Marr. They signed up not knowing all the ramifications. 

Adrestia knew. She always knew this was how her life would end. Dying in a futile attempt to kill the Sith Emperor.

She felt as if Marr knew it too.

She took a second to think about her twenty-one years of life. Most of it was so dull. Only moments spent with Torian shone the brightest.

Moments spent in the arms of her husband.

She closed her eyes, wanting the last thing she saw to be Torian’s smiling face. Different variations of Torian’s smiling face.

Her mind finally settled on her favorite version of her husband’s face, the one he always reserved for her when they were alone and snuggling and he caught her staring at him. The way his green eyes softened, the corner of his mouth quirking up as he tried not to grin, the sound of his voice as he inevitably asked ‘what’, the way his hand gravitated to her face, his fingers brushing over her scar, as he leaned in to kiss her before she could answer.

She heard metal scraping against metal before she was thrown to her knees as something rammed into the flagship.

Torian’s smile pulled back to the forefront of her mind before all she felt was pain then nothing but darkness.


	44. Chapter 44

She woke up with a splitting headache.

Groaning she tried lifting her hands to clutch her head only to find her hands weighed down by…..something.

Opening her eyes, she saw some type of …… she tried to think of what the objects around her wrists were.

Handcuffs!

That’s what they were called!

Why did it take her so long to remember that?

She was handcuffed and in some sort of…..cell? Yes. A cell.

Her vocabulary was slowly coming back.

“You’re awake.” A deep male voice spoke to her left.

She turned to look at him. He was different. She couldn’t pinpoint why. He scented different from….. her brain pulled another blank.

They stared at each other. His one eye glaring at her, he wore a….white outfit and a black half mask. Was it a half mask? He seemed to be wanting something from her and she couldn’t give it to him. 

Not because she didn’t want to. But because she had literally no idea what he could possibly want from her.

She had no idea where she was or what she was or what she was doing.

She froze in panic, her eyes meeting his gaze as she realized she didn’t remember her own name.

Who was she?

“Come!” he barked.

She followed because she figured he knew who she was. He had to know who she was. Why else would he have handcuffed her and stuck her in a cell?

Right?

Exiting the room, she ran almost ran into another person, a fellow prisoner, dressed in red.

Blinking up at the person in front of her she felt….. annoyance and anger.

“Hey?” she asked.

The person in front of her seemed to stare at her for a tense moment before she felt resignation.

The man in red turned his ire towards the man in white.

She blinked. Alright. Did she do something to anger the other prisoner? Because she noticed the handcuffs on the guy in red.

She shrugged and followed the two men down the hall, listening as they...snipped? Yes, snipped at each other.

Apparently, they didn’t like each other. The man in red loathed the man in white.

Did the man in red know who she was? Was he the reason she was handcuffed? She narrowed her eyes and studied the man in red.

She wondered what happened between the two men. What brought her here? Was it whatever it was she sensed between the two men?

“You invaded our space without even knowing who you were invading?” the man in white looked between her and the man in red incredulously.

The man in red didn’t say anything.

She opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again. “Bruh, to be fair, I have no idea who the fuck I am so-” her sentence tapered off as she realized she used slang. Or vernacular. Awesome! She at least remembered enough about speech and vocabulary from where she was from to use slang and modern idioms. Woot!

She felt disbelief from both men.

Wait. How did she know how she knew what they were feeling?

She frowned; her focus pulled away from the two men as she tried to figure out why she knew what the men were feeling.

She turned back to the men only to find they walked away while she ruminated. A shove from behind had her growling in annoyance but she started following.

It was almost like the man in red seemed to pull the focus from her. She had no idea why though.

#

She frowned at the man on the throne. Something about him was familiar. But she couldn’t figure out why.

According to the way the man in red was yelling, the man on the throne was the reason they were here.

She watched as the man in red rushed the man on the throne only for the man on the throne to kill the man in red.

Well then.

The man on the throne turned to her.

“Join me.” The man on the throne said, extending his head.

She blinked at him. She had no idea who this man was. She didn’t have any clue who anybody in this room was. 

She didn’t know who she was.

She didn’t know who the man in red was.

But she did know that she hated the man on the throne.

“No.” she heard herself say.

“No?” the man on the throne asked.

“Correct.” she squared her shoulders.

“Arcann, kill her.” the man on the throne moved to the other side of the room.

She watched as the man in white approached her with an ignited……. Laser blade? 

She wished she knew who she was. She wished she knew why she scented of two different people. She wished to know why the other person she scented of wasn’t with her.

Closing her eyes, she waited for the blow. 

A blow that never came.

Opening her eyes, she looked at the man in white. What was he doing?


	45. Chapter 45

Aric found Torian staring at a green silk hair ribbon in the room the Mandalorian shared with Adrestia.

The Cathar sat beside the Mandalorian quietly, placing his hand on the younger man’s shoulder.

Torian took a deep shuddering breath, hands clenching around the ribbon spasmodically.

“She’s gone.” he uttered.

“I know.” Aric agreed.

“I will honor her memory every day.” Torian turned tear filled green eyes to Aric. “I won’t forget her.”

Aric squeezed his shoulder. “You’re welcome to stay with us.”

Torian nodded. “I know. But I have to fight. Make them pay. Even a little bit.”

The two men shared a look. Neither ever thought they’d see eye to eye with the other. But both loved Adrestia.

If Nivah had been taken the same way, Aric knew he’d be reacting the same as Torian.

Avenging the women they loved.

“I’ll cover for you.” Aric stood, crossing his arms. “I can only give you a window of thirty minutes to be off-planet before the Council and everybody is involved. You’re Mando’ade, and since Addy’s not here to vouch for you, you’ll be arrested for war crimes. Especially with what you did on Taris.”

“Thanks.” Torian stood, holding the ribbon out to Aric. “Here, she’d want Nivah to have it.”

Shaking his head, Aric held up his hands. “Keep it. You can’t have anything else of hers.”

Jerking his chin, Torian carefully folded the ribbon, before gently shoving it up his sleeve. 

Aric stepped back, watching as the Mandalorian gathered his things, pausing at the flute stand. Torian ran his hand softly along the bes’bev before picking it up and slinging it across his back.

“Thirty minutes?” Torian asked over his shoulder, once again meeting Aric’s gaze.

“Thirty minutes is all I can give.”

“I only need fifteen.” Torian sniffed before leaving.

“Take Teeseven with you. She’d want you two to be together.” Aric called out.

He watched as Torian jerked his chin and then he was gone.

Right. Thirty minutes. He needed to give the younger man thirty minutes.

Sighing, Aric sat on the bed and stared around at his niece's room. Still filled with her things but empty. Exceedingly empty without her and Torian.

“Captain Jorgan?” 

Aric glanced up to see Satele Shan and several Jedi behind her.

“Grandmaster.” Aric nodded in greeting, checking his chrono. Ten minutes. Right. He needed twenty more.

“Where is the Mandalorian?” Satele asked.

Aric shrugged. “Dunno. He was gone when I got here.”

The Grandmaster frowned at his lie. “Captain Jorgan, where is Torian Cadera? We have questions for him over the disappearance of Knight Adrestia.”

Aric nodded, clapping his hands once before crossing his arms again. “And have you thought to ask questions of the Sith, Lord Scourge? Was that his name? Maybe the former Child of the Emperor, Kira? Or do you automatically not trust Mandalorians?”

“Kira Carsen and Lord Scourge have been remanded into custody.” Satele crossed her arms. “We merely want to ask Torian some questions.”

Aric scoffed. “If you wanted to just ask him some questions you wouldn’t have come with the Sixth Line.” He pointed at the Jedi standing behind her. “Addy told me about these thugs from Ziost. It’s nice to know some of them survived even if they are back to being mindless Jedi puppets instead of the Emperor’s.”

Satele narrowed her eyes. “And what is your relationship to Knight Adrestia?”

“That’s none of your damn business.” Aric said, sitting back on the bed. 

“Captain Jorgan, please, we are just trying to help.” Satele held her hand out towards him, palm side up, pleading in her voice.

Aric shrugged. “And I’m just trying to say goodbye.” 

Satele frowned, opening her mouth to say something when another Jedi walked up.

“Grandmaster, your ship has been stolen. By the fugitive Mandalorian, Torian Cadera.”

Satele’s eyes sharpened to Aric’s face before she turned around and left, barking orders. “I want my ship tracked! Quickly! We cannot let him get away!”

Aric waited until he no longer heard the Jedi before he buried his head in his hands, laughing at his nephew-in-law’s cheek.

And that’s how his wife found him, laughing, head buried in his hands, sitting on Adrestia’s bed.

“Aric, Grandmaster Satele is on holo with General Garza as we speak. What did you do to piss her off?” Nivah asked, sitting beside her husband.

“I let Torian go.” He replied.

Nivah nodded. “Good, baby-boy can get revenge for us. He has more leeway to kill those bastards where we have to follow orders.” She rubbed her chin with her hand. “For now, anyway.”

Aric purred and kissed his wife on her temple. “And he stole the Grandmaster's personal shuttle.”

Nivah blinked at her husband before she burst into laughter. “The cheek of that boy! I knew I liked him!”

“Right?” Aric threw his arm around his lifemate, pulling her closer to him as they shared a hearty laugh.


	46. Chapter 46

Lana stared at the Mandalorian with the Republic astromech droid in front of her. “Do I know you?”

The droid looked familiar, so did the Mandalorian.

The Mandalorian took his helmet off. “Lana, we need your help.”

Lana nodded. “Of course, Torian, what do you need?”


	47. Chapter 47

Torian touched the top of Teeseven’s head. He was going to miss the little droid but he couldn’t bring the droid with him to war. Not the way Mandalorians did war. And Torian wasn’t about to allow Teeseven to go on a suicide mission as a bomb.

No, the droid would be all for that type of mission. Teeseven was just as angry with the Eternal Empire as Torian was.

“Look, pal, you’re gonna have to go with Lana.” Torian spoke softly, quietly to the little droid.

**:Why?//Teeseven + Torian = stop Eternal Empire**.” The droid whirred.

“You need to help her find Addy.” Torian sniffed. He didn’t properly believe Adrestia was alive. But he’d seen enough sorcery being around Addy, Kira, and Scourge to know that if a witch says somebody was still alive, then that person was still alive.

Teeseven’s lights blinked a few minutes as it processed everything faster than Torian could.

Torian and Teeseven had arrived on Lana’s doorstep with a plan to steal one of the many ships that were a part of the Eternal Fleet and use it to blow up other Eternal Fleet ships.

The Sith had quickly dissuaded them of that idea and instead proffered a new one. Adrestia Nyx-Cadera was still alive and Lana was going to locate her.

Torian and Teeseven spent three hours arguing.

Until finally, they agreed to help Lana. Or well, until they agreed that one of them would help Lana.

**:T7= thinks Torian should help Lana.:**

Torian smirked at that. “I know, buddy. But you have a nifty built in slicing tool and as a droid people don’t look too close at you. Me on the other hand, I got this rad facial tattoo. I’m fairly noticeable.”

Teeseven whirred again. **:Torian = should’ve thought ahead. Not have gotten the tattoo.//Mandalorians make terrible undercover agents.:**

Chuckling Torian patted the droid’s head again. “You’re not wrong.”

It’d taken a while for Torian and Teeseven to warm up to the other. Teeseven believed in Torian’s inherent evilness, not trusting the Mandalorian anywhere near Adrestia. And Torian didn’t see the appeal of having a droid as a companion.

**:Fine.// T7 will help Sith find Addy.: **The droid’s lights blinked. **:Torian = kill many Skytroopers.//Deal?:**

“You got it.” Torian could agree to that.

Teeseven bowed before rolling over to Lana.

Lana and Teeseven had a quietly worded conversation before both turned to look at the Mandalorian.

The Sith inclined her head and boarded her ship.

Teeseven and Torian studied each other.

Torian lifted his hand in farewell to the droid who he’d begun to think as a compatriot and fine warrior despite it being a machine.

Teeseven’s shock probe came out of its compartment, moving back and forth for a few seconds before disappearing.

Torian watched as the droid rolled onto Lana’s ship after the Sith.

“Right,” he muttered to himself as he watched the ship take off, “time to give those bastards something to think about.”

Artus Lok was no longer Manda’lore. Shae was. And Shae wasn’t interested in helping the Empire in their stupid war against the Republic.

No. Shae was going after bigger game. The Eternal Empire.

A fight Torian could get behind.


	48. Chapter 48

She studied the blonde woman as they wandered the swamps of Zakuul.

Lana. Her brain supplied. The blonde woman was Lana. The tan man was Koth. The droid was Hkay. 

And she was Adrestia. Tia for short.

She didn’t feel like a Tia.

She didn’t know why only that she didn’t feel like she was a Tia. An Adrestia, sure. That was her name. She knew it. She sensed the truth somehow.

But Tia?

No.

She wasn’t a Tia.

“You’re thinking deep thoughts.” the blonde, Lana, said after a while.

“Lana,” Adrestia stopped, sniffing the air delicately, “where is my Mate?”

Lana tripped and Adrestia reached out a hand to steady her.

“Your Mate?” the blonde stuttered.

“Yes. I smell like myself and somebody else. But neither you nor Koth are my Mate.” Adrestia frowned down at her feet. “Did he- did he die?”

Adrestia knew a little about her culture, she read up on it in her free time. She knew that if she was Mated, which she was, she could tell by the way a very male scent mingled with her own and the weird sigil carved into her shoulder, and if her Mate was dead, then she’d have to live the rest of her life alone. 

Which, academically, she didn’t have a problem with. But she at least wanted to know if her Mate was dead.

Lana sighed, her hand reaching out to touch Adrestia’s shoulder. “Tia, I am sorry, but I simply do not know.”

Adrestia nodded. “Alright.”

She continued walking. She and Lana patrolled the swamps while Koth and Hkay fixed the ship.

“Why don’t you know?” She asked after a few minutes.

Lana didn’t trip but she did sigh, crossing her arms. “A few years ago, the last time I saw him, he came to me with an insane, desperate, suicidal plan, that I was able to talk him out of.” Her yellow eyes turned to meet Adrestia’s grey ones. “He convinced Teeseven to come with me, to help free you, which I never would’ve been able to do if he hadn’t and if Teeseven wasn’t on Zakuul the entire time. That was the last I saw of him. I’ve had no contact with him or your uncle since.”

“My uncle?” Adrestia tilted her head to the side.

Lana rubbed her hands over her face, leveling a sad look at Adrestia. “Tia, there are a great many things you have missed these past five years. All of which would be easier to explain if you didn’t have amnesia.”

The Cathar felt a flash of intense anger at that. As if Lana was blaming her for having amnesia. As if Adrestia forced herself to forget everything including the man she loved enough to break her vows as a Jedi.

Wait!

Adrestia was Jedi!

And Lana was a Sith.

“Lana, you’re a Sith,” she spoke slowly, watching as Lana’s eyes widened, “why did you rescue a Jedi?”

The Sith grabbed Adrestia by her shoulders. “You remember?” She shouted joyously.

“I remember that I am a Jedi. You are a Sith and I broke my vows to get Mated.” Adrestia searched Lana’s face, watching as her face fell.

“Tia, you do know that I want to tell you everything, correct?” Lana’s hands softened on the Cathar's shoulders but didn’t let them go.

“Yes.” Adrestia knew; she could feel it. “But why won’t you?”

“Because memories are funny things. I worked with Imperial Intelligence and I saw how memories could be warped, tainted, changed to suit a purpose and I didn’t want to tell you something, accidentally warp you, and then you remember the truth, how it really happened later, and risk you going mad. It’s happened before. So many times.” Lana’s yellow eyes softened. “We need you to be clear headed, not second guessing everything because a piece of information I told you wasn’t how it actually was.”

“How can I be clear-headed if I don’t remember anything?” Adrestia asked, shrugging Lana’s hands off her shoulders.

“Tia, you don’t remember who you are but that doesn’t change who you are.” Lana said, catching her eye. “People are generally the same even after amnesia. You don’t remember who you are but who you are is ingrained so deep in you that not remembering who you are won’t change who you are. Does that make sense?”

“You used the word ‘who’ a lot in that sentence.” Adrestia said instead.

Lana snorted. “See? That’s a very you thing to say.”


	49. Chapter 49

Something about the male cyborg bothered Adrestia. She recognized him but she couldn’t figure out why.

“Hey, Tia,” speaking of which, here he was.

She felt her eyes flutter closed. He had a very pleasant voice. Although, she took a tentative whiff, he was most definitely not her Mate. She frowned. “Yes?”

He coughed to cover his embarrassment. “Uh, I’m Theron, you remember me?”

She blinked rapidly as the name sparked a memory. Something to do with a tropical planet and them having an argument. Her arm was drawn back, and her fist connected with his jaw before she realized what she was doing.

“Huh,” Theron rubbed his jaw and gazed up at her, “a little part of you remembers me then.”

She frowned at her fist. “You called me a traitor.”

“I was hurt and angry.” Theron explained.

“You said I’d fallen!” she growled.

“Tia,” he held up his hands, blocking his face from a possible punch, “I was hurt and angry. I’m sorry for being such a complete and total asshole to you.”

Adrestia snarled and lowered her fist. “I forgive you. Now go away because I am still really mad at you and I have to meditate about this memory.”

“Yep!” Theron cried, backing away quickly.

Lana had explained to him Adrestia’s circumstances. That memories would come and go and with no guarantee that the Jedi would ever get all of them back.

Theron stopped beside Koth.

“She remember something?” The pilot asked.

“Yeah.” Theron rubbed his chin. Adrestia packed a hell of a punch.


End file.
